"Thanks for the blessings!"
---
"I'll take the last watch then." Illthir volunteers. Uninterrupted sleep would be nice - and she'd have the chance to practice her instruments whenever it was time for the others to wake up.
"Could you usé zum company, mademoisélle?" asks the shepherd.
"I would not turn it away, Shepherd."
"As usual I can go middle I'm used to skulking in the middle of the night and I have no magic to restore with sleep" as he lays and looks around
Night passes and the party exits the forest, into the rolling grasslands and arrives at the Renault farm at midday after passing a few other farm along their way.
"Could you usé zum company, mademoisélle?" asks the shepherd."I would not turn it away, Shepherd."
Zokon will try lead the way to the main farm house "I'll go up front to try and be impressive, that'll work better for a fellow like Renault yes?" he rides slightly ahead not to far forward as renault does know him, but enough.
"Well, as long as you don't huff and puff and blow his house over ..." Illthir advises as Zokon takes the lead. "Hopefully it won't be needed."
The field workers wave at the party as they ride up to the main house. News of their arrival spreads like a breeze upon a wheat field.
When they arrive at the house, Samuel is waiting for them on the veranda.
As he rides up and get within easy to hear earshot
"Good morning Mr Renault, I hope this day finds you and yours well." he dismounts and walks to the veranda waiting for a nod before stepping up to stand by him.
"I understand you have some needed supplies for us and we are here to collect them for the Fort people. What do we owe you or it?"
Samuel greets Zokon with a strong handshake and stout slap on the shoulder. "We're loading them up now. Should have the first batch ready to move out to the outpost in the morning. Are your wains ready to move?"
"Yes Master Renault we have the people at the outpost but we need to get some administrative positions nailed down, now as Warden your connections with the people and knowledge of the land will be invaluable, but we need a few others, lets try and figure out the best candidates from who we have available."
He chats and such trying to get the measure of each persons ideas or what needs to be done now.
"So Treasurer and High Priest are our priorities and I understand Jhod has been invited and we may get an Abadarian in as well, do we have any other candidtes? Magister is also a consideration, do we have a mage in mind for this?"
"Yes Master Renault we have the people at the outpost but we need to get some administrative positions nailed down, now as Warden your connections with the people and knowledge of the land will be invaluable, but we need a few others, lets try and figure out the best candidates from who we have available."
He chats and such trying to get the measure of each persons ideas or what needs to be done now.
"So Treasurer and High Priest are our priorities and I understand Jhod has been invited and we may get an Abadarian in as well, do we have any other candidtes? Magister is also a consideration, do we have a mage in mind for this?"
Renault nods behind Zokon toward Shepherd Jhod. "Why not just ask him?"
"And if looking for someone in the meantime to look over your books, you might try that halfling that the high muckety mucks up in Restov, or maybe it was the lot in New Stetven, sent to manage the outpost. 'Andy Sissy' or something isn't it? He runs the place more profitably than ol' Oleg ever did. Er--um, Erastil, guide his soul."
Zokon looks at Shepherd Jhod, "Well will you accept the role to guide the new settlement with the light of Erastils wisdom, no matter who they follow?"
He looks back to Master Renault
"Thankyou Samuel, I will talk to the person managing the outpost next chance I have."
Zokon looks at Shepherd Jhod, "Well will you accept the role to guide the new settlement with the light of Erastils wisdom, no matter who they follow?"
"I-I would be 'onaired." he says a queer desperate look on his face. He grasps Zokon's hand as if it was the only thing tethering him to ground.
Then a moment later he says "Excusé me." and rushes off to see to his horse.
He looks back to Master Renault
"Thankyou Samuel, I will talk to the person managing the outpost next chance I have."
Renault shrugs. "Will you be staying the night? I can let the kitchen know that there will be five more for dinner."
"Oh. We'd be delighted to stay the night." Illthir makes an executive decision to have a roof over her head over the night.
"yes please'" says Zokon eagerly.
The party is provided accommodation in Samuel Renault's rustic yet expansive farm-manor house.
That evening the party is invited to dinner outside. A long table, a pair of benches, and a grand seat for the host are set up outside on the house's back veranda.
Shepherd Jhod leads the diners in a prayer of thanks to Erastil for the farm's bounty. Then, the guests are plied with a sumptuous frumenty broth, loaves of sweet bread and cakes of butter, followed on with roast chicken, venison, potatoes and leeks, which in turn were followed by cinnamon apple pie, and platter of pears cooked in red wine, mulberries and more cinnamon.
As the platter of pears are being passed around the table, Jhod turns to rest of the party and asks "If we return to ze ootpost tomairrow, and zeré eez no représentative from le Abadarian Church to feehl een as treasurair what weehl we do? We weehl not bé abuhl to delay takeng la wagons, and food down to zé fairt fair long. Accairdeng to Akiros zeré was already zum discontent and ai imajén lé same could bé said of la wairk men from Brevoy waiteng fair us at ze outpost."
"As Master Renault suggested there is a halfling that is overlooking the outpost who may be able to take on that role, There is another I have thoughts of, where did Svetlana get to? We will try these options and then we will find someone to manage it, even if we have to train someone."
He looks at Master Renault when he says this and nods his head in tribute
"As Master Renault suggested there is a halfling that is overlooking the outpost who may be able to take on that role, There is another I have thoughts of, where did Svetlana get to? We will try these options and then we will find someone to manage it, even if we have to train someone."
He looks at Master Renault when he says this and nods his head in tribute
The sun begins to set and the servants light some hanging lanterns as the eating turns to more to talk.
"Who is Svetlana?" Serena asks, confused.
"Svetlana is Oleg's wife. Uh, widow now I suppose." Illthir sighs and rubbed her temples. With a grimace she added some context. "They managed the outpost but after Oleg ... passed... the Lord Magister saw fit to appoint Anando instead."
"Truth to be told, there's nothing wrong with him. But the circumstances of his arrival irks me. With Svetlana getting kicked out and all..." She wasn't much for tragedies; but maybe they could try and find a happier ending for this one? "I concur with your idea Zokon. Svetlana is hawking pies in Restov as far as I know, we could do her better. And that piemonger Mung has a sharp mind. As long as we keep him *away* from the kitchen."
"Hmmm.. maybe we can arrange for a message to be sent, probably from the outpost i'd say, we could inviteMung and his pies to us and ask for him to bring Svetlana along." he says with a smile
"Svetlana is Oleg's wife. Uh, widow now I suppose." Illthir sighs and rubbed her temples. With a grimace she added some context. "They managed the outpost but after Oleg ... passed... the Lord Magister saw fit to appoint Anando instead."
"'Anando.' That was the name. I haven't dealt with him myself, but a lot of my people do."
"Truth to be told, there's nothing wrong with him. But the circumstances of his arrival irks me. With Svetlana getting kicked out and all..." She wasn't much for tragedies; but maybe they could try and find a happier ending for this one? "I concur with your idea Zokon. Svetlana is hawking pies in Restov as far as I know, we could do her better. And that piemonger Mung has a sharp mind. As long as we keep him *away* from the kitchen."
"A 'piemonger'?" Samuel replies doubtfully. "You might as well invite that old coot, Fusti Isben, to serve on your leadership council."
"Hmmm.. maybe we can arrange for a message to be sent, probably from the outpost i'd say, we could invite Mung and his pies to us and ask for him to bring Svetlana along." he says with a smile
"Well, you're in luck there. I have a speedy messenger with word from my sister here abouts somewhere."
Desert cakes are served and more wine is poured.
"What abut ze Abadarians? If zey decided to sénd zumone diyairectly, zéy mai well 'ave arrivéd at ze ootpost by now." says the Shepherd before taking a big bite off of his spongy sweet cake.
"What abut ze Abadarians? If zey decided to sénd zumone diyairectly, zéy mai well 'ave arrivéd at ze ootpost by now." says the Shepherd before taking a big bite off of his spongy sweet cake.
"Well if that person is there that would be great and we can use them, but why not get Svetlana here, she can run a tavern or a foodhouse or something, if she's not looking after the books." he says with a shrug
"The food is winderful Master Renault, thankyou."
Illthir offers a grateful nod as Samuel adds the name of the halfling in question. And she agreed with the doubts about Mung. Just wasn't sure how deep into the barrel they had to scrape ... Hopefully it'd be as Jhod said and there would be someone waiting at the outpost.
"If we're lucky, yeah. We'll know when we get to the outpost. And then, hopefully, there is little more to delay us."
Serena has no idea who is being discussed and so remains quiet during the conversation.
"I agree, we'll go see Anando and if that doesn't work out we'll send a messenger while we wait for the Abadarians. We'll get a money handler some how."
We'll leave in the morning?