Jasper sets his little pack on the ground with a grunt and rifles through it. "Ten days? I will come get some more, too. And a pack dog, maybe."
"Seven to ten days?" asks Reekis, appalled. "In the forest?"
Anyone who has been in town for more than a day or two knows that the most likely places to buy supplies are the local general store, Goose’n’Gander, run by the town’s only permanent gnome resident, Brickasnurd Hildrinsocks, who sells everything from standard amenities such as grain, lamp oil, ink, trail rations and lumber supplies, to such rare oddities as alchemist’s fire, antitoxin, a petrified pseudo-dragon and taxidermy nixies.
If looking to buy animals such as pack dogs, donkeys or mules would be best off heading down the road to the Low Market.
The morning of this sunny but chill autumn day stretches onwards; on foot, slower folk such as Jasper and Oliver would be pushing to reach the main lumber camp (or a similarly distant destination) before nightfall, although if riding a donkey or similar they should be able to keep up with the rest of the group and make the journey in about 5 hours or so.
"Would it be wise for us to purchase a pony to carry some of the gear? I will slow us up if I have to carry everything."
"Yeah, right, I'll stick some gear on your pony. I don't want putting all that stuff in my pockets to ruin the line of my trousers."
Anor looks sideways at Reekis, not quite sure if he's joking, or really can't tell the difference between a donkey and a pony....
"Is there room on your donkey for some armour? We might move faster if I'm not wearing mine. If not, I can buy my own donkey..." Adalwin sheepishly asks.
"Oh, and I'm Adalwin by the way. I'm looking forward to working with all of you, and the speedy recovery of a cure for this vile taint!" Adalwin nods to each of the group members he had not previously met.
"Oh! I'm', uh, I'm Jasper!"
"You can put your armor on Percival, Adalwin. There should be room if we tie it on top of the saddlebags, right?" The little fellow studies the mule's pack with a critical eye for all of three seconds before something else distracts him.
"Hello Eljoy, I'm Anor. Yes, Deef here can carry a bit more before he slows us down."
As the others make coordination for travel, Oliver looks somewhat sheepish. "I apologize for being a hindrance, but with my leg, it is not the amount I carry that slows me down. I also have very little coin to try and purchase a mount of any sort, and can barely afford enough rations to get me through the expected time of the trip. In this I fear my inclusion would be a detriment to the people of this town more than any assistance."
"Oh! I'm', uh, I'm Jasper!"
"You can put your armor on Percival, Adalwin. There should be room if we tie it on top of the saddlebags, right?" The little fellow studies the mule's pack with a critical eye for all of three seconds before something else distracts him.
"Thanks Jasper it's... Adalwin trails off, smiling as he realises his little companion is watching a butterfly flutter past.
"I'm sure we can work out something Oliver
Jasper's coin purse doesn't look heavy, but it clinks when he shakes it. He grins, "We can get a Petunia to go with Percival!"
It always takes longer to start a journey than you think it will; by the time rations have been purchased, donkeys have been haggled for, packs, well, packed, straps tightened and boots laced, much of the morning has fled.
The day has warmed under the sun, though a chill breeze still blows in from the direction of Droskar’s Crag by the time the disparate group marches out of town by way of the north gate. Gate is a misnomer really – although a wooden palisade protects the town to the north and west, with the River Foam providing a natural barrier to the south and a steep escarpment to the east – there are no actual gates, except to limit access to the Perch. The rest of the town suffices with openings in the palisade, that could theoretically be barricaded in times of trouble.
The north road – actually a dirt path wide enough for two wagons to pass, marred by deep wheel ruts and occasional hardy weeds – is bordered near town by drainage ditches and low fieldstone walls surrounding sturdy almost fortified looking farmhouses. Men and women work and children play in many of the farm yards, and most are guarded by large dogs – Andoran Shepherds for the most part – who either watch you disinterestedly or bark furiously as you pass, depending on their temperament. Beside and behind the farm houses are fields of corn, wheat and flax. The autumn harvest is underway, and the swish of scythes and sickles can be heard from the fields. Despite the busy activity, locals to the area may recall more people working in the fields last season than this – it appears that the Taint has had an impact on the local workforce. The workers in the fields pay you little attention, though foremen wearing wide brimmed straw or leather hats watch you warily as you pass.
Further out from town, the farmhouses and crops give way to wide pasture lands. Shepherds keep a sharp eye on their flocks, ever alert for wolves and other dangers. It is said that when Falcon’s Hollow was founded, it was truly a ‘hollow’ in the forest, which in those days extended all the way south to the river. The scars of old logging enterprise are still evident here, with the fields marred by many old tree stumps, most partially obscured by grass, moss or bright orange shelf fungus. The road is still busy enough, with your group occasionally having to give way to massive wagons drawn by large teams of draught horses or oxen. Those coming from the north are laden with huge tree trunks, on their way to the cutyard in Falcon’s Hollow. The teamsters give you unfriendly looks as they pass, and the Lumber Consortium guards keep their crossbows loaded. Monster and animal attacks are rare along this road – at least during the daylight hours – but occasionally bandits or desparados will attempt to attack the wagons, hoping to cart off valuable pieces of darkwood, or a Lumber Consortium pay chest.
An hour or so after midday, the group stops near an ancient fallen tree trunk by the side of the road, to rest the donkeys and their own weary feet for a short time and eat a small meal. Those who are cognisant of the local geography figure that they are about half way to the main lumber camp, and at the current pace could likely reach that destination by mid to late afternoon. It may occur to some that it has not yet been completely decided whether you are indeed heading into the lumber camp, to turn north into the Darkmoon Wood from there, or whether it is better to leave the road before reaching the camp and enter the forest away from the eyes and questions of Lumber Consortium guards.
Jasper waves and smiles when people look his way, unfazed by the lack of reaction and angry scowls. One nod of acknowledgement is enough to make him grin and continue to wave.
"So that's the volcano you mentioned? Is it really the biggest in the world? Where is the lumber camp? Is it big? Are we going to the lumber camp first?"
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Eljoy's perpetual frown deepens whenever the lumber wagons pass. He's careful to keep his axe hanging from one hand low by his hip whenever they pass. "These bastards'll shoot you soon as look at you."
But he seems amused by Jasper's attitude toward them.
Within the first mile of walking the man's face is covered in sweat, another mile and anyone getting too close experiences a sharp, unpleasant odor.
***
"Yeah. That's Droskar's Crag."
"I'm for the camp. Last chance to sleep in a bed before the forest. Don't expect much comfort there though. If it ain't work, the Consorshum ain't paying much for it."
"Yeah, a bed is good." Reekis coughs again and wipes his forehead. Physical activity - even walking - isn't really his thing.
Adalwin shakes his head as yet another scowling group of locals pass by. "Aren't country folk supposed to be welcoming and hospitable? He queries to no one in particular.
"Are we going to be able to stay at the lumber camp? They don't seem the friendliest bunch...
The group continues on after a brief halt. The road winds its way north-east, through pasture lands and then rolling fields dotted with seemingly endless tree stumps. The green line that is the edge of Darkmoon Forest to the north becomes larger and more clearly defined, and far above and beyond it you can make out the looming, white-capped bulk of Droskar’s Crag, and the hazy smudge of the Five Kings Mountains beyond.
As the afternoon wears on the road reaches within about a mile of the forest edge, and roughly parallels it in an easterly direction. You see signs of recent logging activities. Cresting a rise in the road, you find yourself looking down at a village of canvas tents, rough timber shacks and lean-tos, stockyards and massive piles of hewn timber – the Lumber Consortium’s main camp and cutyard for Darkmoon Wood. The forest looms large nearby, and you can make out teams of lumberjacks working to fell the ancient trees. There comes a distant cry of ‘Timber!’ followed by the crash of a falling forest giant.
Eyes wide, Jasper takes it all in. "Wow!"
Reekis isn't especially interested in industry. "My legs, man!" he moans, "Where do we get a bed?"
Oliver finds himself acting just as Jasper, in offering waves, greetings, and friendly smiles to all that he passes. He enjoys travel, revels in new sights, and especially meeting new people. He does not see the logging camp as neither filthy nor inhospitable, "Wow indeed, Jasper. Look at the flurry of activity, everyone going about performing the appropriate tasks as assigned to attain the most productive yield. The use of simple tools to perform tasks that would be nigh impossible without a single one of them. Take the woodsman's axe, for example. It is nothing more than a simple wedge. Attach it to a haft, where you can add the velocity and leverage of the wielder, and now you have single item capable of tearing asunder some of nature's strongest free-standing edifices. It is amazing what the ingenuity of creation has wrought."
He looks down around the place, trying to discern who they may need to speak with to secure any type of lodgings, especially considering that most of the money between them went to merely funding the travel of the expedition itself. "If anyone knows who we should direct our queries toward, I would be happy to try to swing a deal on our behalf. I've found I have an easy way with people, and I have seen the benefit from it in the past."
"Uh-huh. And look at all of the tree stumps, all the trees that have been cut down. And there's so much forest still!"
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Eljoy drops the haft of his ax to the ground and rests his hands on the head as he stares down at the camp. He puts a thumb to his nose and blows a wide of mucus from the other nostril. Then wipes his nose with the back of his hand.
"The wedge ain't the only simple tool around here."
Still he smiles when he offers, "You might try the big shack without holes in the roof. Nastiest piece of work in the local Consorshum is like to be there. Being the Consorshum, he's boss 'cause he's nastiest. Ask for Payday."
Oliver nods in agreement, "You are correct. The wedge is only the most prominent. You see the pulley, the ramp, and the wheel used prolifically when it comes to hauling the goods. I considered we were in a hurry and shouldn't expound on the virtues of them at this moment, but we may discuss it later if you would like?" He seems a little confused, "Oh, I wouldn't expect to receive a payday, as we don't intend to stay long. I will, however, readily inquire within for the foreman, or whatever title the boss prefers, in regards to our lodgings. Thank you."
Adalwin takes in the view quietly, finding an odd beauty in the contrast of industry and nature.
"We should push on, there are still a few hours of daylight left. Every wasted hour could be another death we could have prevented" Adalwin chimes in, frowning slightly at Reekis as he complains.
Addressing Eljoy, who seems to know most about the Lumber Consortium, Adalwin continues, somewhat stiffly, still not sure what to make of the surly man. "Are we likely to find any help here? Would they be able to tell us of likely dangers or routes through the forrest?"
The camp sprawls to the north of the road. The building that Eljoy points out is not hard to spot from your vantage – certainly one of the larger and better built shacks in the shantytown, though that is not necessarily saying much. This one is built up on short, stout stilts to keep it out of the mud, and a rickety iron chimney rises up through one wall, a thin plume of woodsmoke rising into the sky above it.
There is a reasonable amount of activity in the camp as well as at the wood’s edge, with people walking about in pairs or small groups on various errands. It’s hard to tell from here if they are all lumberjacks or if some of them are guards, although there does not appear to be any sort of perimeter guard to the camp that you are able to discern.
"I agree with Aldwin, we should push on, and avoid the camp."
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Oliver nods in agreement, "You are correct. The wedge is only the most prominent. You see the pulley, the ramp, and the wheel used prolifically when it comes to hauling the goods. I considered we were in a hurry and shouldn't expound on the virtues of them at this moment, but we may discuss it later if you would like?" He seems a little confused, "Oh, I wouldn't expect to receive a payday, as we don't intend to stay long. I will, however, readily inquire within for the foreman, or whatever title the boss prefers, in regards to our lodgings. Thank you."
"Payday's the boss," comes the laconic reply.
Adalwin takes in the view quietly, finding an odd beauty in the contrast of industry and nature.
"We should push on, there are still a few hours of daylight left. Every wasted hour could be another death we could have prevented" Adalwin chimes in, frowning slightly at Reekis as he complains.
Addressing Eljoy, who seems to know most about the Lumber Consortium, Adalwin continues, somewhat stiffly, still not sure what to make of the surly man. "Are we likely to find any help here? Would they be able to tell us of likely dangers or routes through the forest?"
"I agree with Aldwin, we should push on, and avoid the camp."
"It's not a footrace. A night not spent in the woods is a night we won't go sleepless, get 'sorceled, or eaten.
Addressing Eljoy, who seems to know most about the Lumber Consortium, Adalwin continues, somewhat stiffly, still not sure what to make of the surly man. "Are we likely to find any help here? Would they be able to tell us of likely dangers or routes through the forest?"
"As a rule they don't know the forest at all and don't care. They don't need to 'cause they just cut everything, shove it in the company maw, and s~#+ out just enough for their men to get by. The Consorshum's got an appetite. The forest used to go all the way down to the Foam."
"If Payday's in a good mood, we might get some help here if it costs them nothing, or we pay enough. If he's in a bad mood, we may get run out of camp. Either way it will be fun to watch Oli try."
"I'd rather take my chances in the woods than in the camp. But we should stick together. If you are so intent on a bed, lets go. But I don't think you'll find one."
"My feet... My back..." Reekis moans softly, then coughs. "My lungs..."
Jasper frowns, thinking, "We do need to move quickly, to get the cure to Laurel." He looks at Reekis, "Else your back will never be a concern again."
He scratches his head. "If we can get help that makes us move faster, we should try. If the boss has no interest in helping us, we should move on. We have some daylight left."
He brightens up, "How about that idea?"
Reekis scowls but the halflings logic is impeccable. "Alright. If we end up sleeping in the forest tonight I want first dibs on... I dunno, the comfortable leaf pile."
Adalwin nods at the suggested compromise. "Well, let's get this done then"
Oliver opens his mouth to speak, then thinking, closes it again. "Okay, I will speak to this man they call Payday. So is it agreed that we are looking for whatever help the camp is willing to render, and if that answer is 'none' we press onward?"
Oliver hobbles toward the shack indicated, and presuming he makes it unimpeded, presents himself with a knock and a hail, "Hello inside. My companions and I have come to speak with the man known as 'Payday', if he is willing to treat with us?"
Jasper nods eagerly to Oliver's question.
"I agree with Aldwin, we should push on, and avoid the camp."