"Well, I'm Perri, and I travel with this lot. We met Belon and your boys on the road. He sold my friend here some tackle, and recommended we check in with you to see about shelter from this storm. Right now, I'm really interested in taking shelter before finishing the introductions, though, if you would be so kind!"
Enjoying the rain coming down to cool off his body, Cerilis walks along as he keeps his head moving from side to side...looking for trouble.
When the get to the porch he stays at the back of the group and looks out away from the door.
As Harry knocks on the door, Thanim moves up and stands beside him. When the voice calls out, he prompts Harry to pull out the partially carved popper. "I know we are strangers to ye, but I am Thanim, servant of Pelon. We met good Belon on the road this afternoon. We spoke briefly with him, purchasing some fishing supplies. In his great kindness, he offered to provide shelter from the impending weather." He nudges Harry, "He told us to ask for Sarah, his wife. He also gave us this popper he had begun carving as a sign of his intent. We do not mean to impose, but shelter from the rain would be greatly appreciated."
"Aye, if'ne ye be so kind. Belon spoke well of ye hospitality," Harry pipes up, taking out the offered popper and ready to show it to the occupants once the door is opened.
Syslas takes out a silver piece and presses it to her hand as a gesture showing his stored tackle and bobbers
please lady, bless your home and hearth
When the woman appears to check the group, Bynoth merely stands affixing her with a hard stare.
"Lady of the House. If we meant ill to you and those within then you would all already be breathing your last. As my courteous companions have stated we met your man on the road, he bade we petition you for food and lodgings from the inclement weather..."
The priest of war has no warmth in his voice, just a calmness and steely clarity.
"May we enter?"
Belon's Home
After Perri and Thanim speak you can hear a female voice hush the chattering behind the door.
"My husband sent you to our door?" she looks out the window and sees Harry holding the popper as he speaks. She seems relieved and perplexed at the same time. He head turns to the door and her hand waves in a gesture as if to say HURRY OPEN THE DOOR. As she does this you hear a metal latch and the scratching of wood as the door is unlocked. You can see her fixing her apron and skirt, brushing it down and straightening it to the sides as the door creaks open.
A young man stands there as he opens the door slowly and looks at Maja, he smiles at her, and then he looks at the rest of the group. He is holding a wood ax in his off hand but his grip is strong. He is a young man in his late teens. He is a big, strong, strapping boy and he looks like a younger version of his father. He steps out of the path of the door as his mother comes to the other side with a very young girl behind her.
"Come in out of the rain. Quickly, you must be soaked to the bone. There is a fire over there by the kitchen. Hurry now, hurry! Wipe your feet... She takes one look at Sylas and smiles as he gives her home a blessing. "I thank you for your blessing and I hope to repay it with good food and a warm bed. Come in and sit and I will get you something to drink while you dry off."
As Cerilis walks by she tells her son to close the door. He does and turns the metal bar down to keep the door closed and puts his wood ax up on the wall near the door.
The main living quarters are on a wooden platform and it is an open space serving as a living area and kitchen with a hearth sitting in the back of it. There is a wooden ladder above the kitchen area and it is clearly the sleeping area for the children. Just to the right of the hearth is a wool curtain that goes into another room. To the left is a set of wooden stairs and it goes down to a stone floor and into a very clean barn area closed off by a wooden half wall. In front of the walls is a few barrels and on top of them are pots filled with all sort of flowers and plants. You would think it would smell like a barn but the mix of fresh herbs, flowers, and other aromas mask the scent of the barn easily. In the barn are several cows, a bull, a few roaming chickens, and a cat up on a wall cleaning itself. Above the ground floor is the second floor with wooden ladder in the middle and a set of stairs on the back leading from the living area up into the rafters. The housebarn is not enormous but it is not small by any means. As you look up into the second floor of the barn you can see that it is another living area...a room from what you can see.
Sarah points out several chairs and a small barrel with a cushion on it for Maja. She smiles... "I have not seen the riverfolk in several years; but we are far removed from a river. She looks at Maja with curious look. You are far from the river as well; unusual for ones that love the life of the water." Sarah looks around at the group and then at Bynoth. "It is an imposing and unsual group the lot of you?" She looks at her eldest son and waves to the kitchen and with a gentle voice. "Elm get them some berry juice or water." She looks at her small daughter and pats her on the face. "Towels, clean towels upstairs go get them and be as quick as you can little one." The little girl smiles and plays shy for a moment and then darts up the stairs in a flash like a deer.
Elm goes the kitchen and grabs a pile of mugs and hands out one to each person. He then goes back and grabs a two pitchers and pours either a berry juice that smells very sweet and tasty or a water (which ever is to the liking of each person). Sarah chimes as he does; The juice is of several wild berries I picked a few days ago and fresh spring water. It is pleasent and my children like it. The water has mint and cucumbers in it to give it a pleasent but subtle taste. It is also spring water." She looks back at Thanim and she remains standing as the little girl comes down with a pile of towels. Sarah hands one out to each person and then takes a seat by the table.
"It will rain most of the night so you are welcome to stay I can make a place for each of you to sleep but it will not be bed but it will be dry and I can give you a warm bowl of soup and bread." She looks at Elm and at her guest. "Take their cloaks and out garments and put them by the fire so they can dry."
Bynoth again meets her look with one of his own, nodding at her words;
"Unusual... It is true; two half-dwur, a pair of olves, a hobniz and one of the river folk do make for strange companions in arms to one fell bless'ed such as I, and as such perhaps we a novelty in such a hinterland..."
The priest of war takes an offered towel, wiping rain from his stubbled scalp and armoured form before continuing;
"As for imposing... Only to those foolish enough to test our mettle..."
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Harry returns the popper to Sarah with a rare smile, "Tell yer husband that his gift will be repaid fer agin, should our paths cross agin." He settles into a spot on the floor, clearly used to dealing with hard floors, as he sits with his legs crossed.
"Thank ye fer th' drink, Mister Elm," he accepts the sweet beverage and sips it slowly, knowing there was only a small amount to savor.
"Aye th' rain not be a bother to me much, as me path be led upon th' sea. Still, it kin be a lonely path..." his voice trails off.
"Och, Bynoth," he grunts in irritation at the warpriest, "Not everyone be harborin' bugbears in their closet! Jes relax 'n enjoy th' company. Thar be plennty of tim ta test yer mettle down th' path!"
Elm
"Ya welcome. If ya like it..we got more. Ma keeps several pitchers on hand." He goes around to the entire group again one more time to check their mugs and fills them if needed. The boy is about six feet tall and strong. Harry notices his hands are callused and from the look of them he can handle that ax by the door with no problem.
"My Da will be back in a few days. He goes to Burle to sell what we make and grow once a turn of the moons." He puts down a empty pitcher on the kitchen table. "Lucky ya came across him when ya did...the weather is foul. I was on my way to hunt and bring in wood and decided against it."
Sarah gives him a funny look as if to say the decision was made for him...he ignores, or tries to but it is obvious that Sarah is clearly in charge of the house including Elm.
Sarah
"I have a pot of stew on the fire but I think I will need to make another pot. Tina gather celery, onion, okra, and more green peppers." She looks at Elm while she wipes her hands on her apron. "Go get three...no make it six catfish from the barrel. The ones you caught this morning out of the creek. And get me the smoked duck, both hanging in the smoke house. I can use them to make the stew. Don't rush tend to your father's guests first."
She turns to the kitchen and begins to lay out the cutting board and a few wooden bowls. "Belon likes to make friends. He was not always a farmer so he likes to see his old friends in Burle when he can. He makes excuses for going there; and I let him." She pulls out several small containers of dried seasoning and places them on the table. Turns and walks to the fireplace and lifts the lid off the first pot of stew to give it a stir. She takes a handful of some diced herbs and puts them in the pot and gives it a few more stirs. It is a deep rich spicy smell that hits your nose. After a moment she pulls a few loaves of bread out of a bin and puts them by the fireplace on a stone ledge.
She wipes her hands off again on her apron. "The bread was made last night; thankfully I made extra."
As you listen to her you see the little girl go outside to the porch and a few moments latter she comes back in with her apron full of vegetables. She closes the door behind her and latches it. When she went out you saw the rain was still coming down in sheets and when she came back in a few moments later it had not changed.
Only once he has wiped dry his arms and armour several times does Bynoth finally accept the hospitality, but sits rigid and awkward as the food and drink is served.
"You say your husband was not always a farmer Mistress. What trade did he ply before tillering the soil?"
Maja sits down gladly and warms herself by the fire. "With all this rain coming down, I don't feel too far from the river right now!" quips Maja.
Upon seeing the little girl come in with a large bundle of vegetables, Maja feels like she ought to help out. "Can I give you a hand?" she asks, offering to lighten the load. "Where'd those come from? You didn't have to go into the rain, did you? I'm Maja, what's your name?"
Tina
Maja asks the little girl if she can help and she immediately lights up. "Sure!" She starts to hand each bell pepper (four) one at at time as she smiles at you each time. She then hands you four white onions and smiles each time. Then she secures the rest in her apron and turns to the table. "Let's go! We have to put them on the table for Ma so she can clean them and cut them. I can't use a knife yet...but I can clean the greenies for Ma! Want to help me!"
She plops all the remaining veggies on the table after getting on a stool. They roll and drop every where. Maja can tell that Sarah was prepared for this by placing the stool by the open top of the table. Little Tina looks up an smiles at Maja. "See!" She jumps down goes and grabs a big bowl and puts in on the table. Then goes back and grabs a pitcher of water and pours it in the bowl, she seems very proud of the feat she just performed with the pitcher and looks at her mother who gives her a smile and an approving wink. Tina pops back on the stool and takes a small cloth and begins to dip the veggies into the bowl and wipes them off one at a time.
Sarah
Sarah continues to work in the kitchen and turns to Bynoth. "When he was younger he was a soldier in the Viscount's service for a little while. He was an adventurous sort when he left home. He spent time in Ulek and the Hold while in service but he left after his enlistment was completed. He lost several good friends during the war with the Sea Princes. Not something he likes to talk about mind you. I meet him a few years latter after he had served as a warden of the Burle Wood. My father was a farmer in west of the town and he often came to the home on his long treks. He loved to fish and hunt even then and would bring my family whatever he caught." She laughed for a moment... "He liked my mother's and grandmother's cooking and I like to think he fancied me as well. I was young and he was handsome and my father said he was brave...which he was not to many take to the woods by themselves as often as he did."
She picks up a pitcher and pours Bynoth some more berry juice... Drink and enjoy. See puts the pitcher down and goes back to what she was doing. "He still goes into the woods and even goes to the edge of the marsh at times to fish and hunt." She looks down at the barn side where Elm is at and looks at Bynoth and the rest of the party. "Elm takes after his father...he is a brave soul but a mother has a hard time letting their eldest go. I am struggling with it but his heart is elsewhere and I fear he is going to wonder off soon."
Perri accepts a cup, not really noticing if it is the berry juice or the water, as he stands by the fire letting his clothing steam a bit. The crowded room and the comings and goings, along with the conversation, provides a sense of the activity he knew growing up. The young man loses himself in a memory of a wedding celebration that moved under cover because of rain. The dancing, playing drinking, and positive feel of the moment.
A smile spreads across his face before he returns to the moment. "Bynoth! Quit being negative! The skies are giving us the rain needed to grow the food we all love to eat, and thanks to Sarah, here, we can stay warm and dry! It seems an opportunity to celebrate the things that bring people together!"
He works his way through the crowded room, closer to Sarah. "Is there anything we can do to help make this night easier on you? Chores we can handle to relive your family for an evening, perhaps?"
As they start to enter the house, Cerilis clears as much rain water from his body. He runs his hand over his short hair feeling the water spray out in all directions. He walks to the door and nods slightly to the woman. He makes his way over to the fireplace and warms his hands. He takes notice of the children and decides to keep his blade on him.
would not like to see anyone come to harm...best not to take it off.
When food is offered, he turns and in a soft fluid voice.
Tia tyr cylysardi cyr, Ai shololia vasaji os os shaer eil mar. Ai eilaer os cyroraloria eil si vyraelol os os cysti eil caes.
He nods slowly at Sarah.
The laws of hospitality are not forgotten and are most appreciated. I thank you and may the gods bless your home.
Sylas again considers magic and yet again dismisses it. Ah he misses home. He takes of his hat and cloak allowing them to be hung and dried his long scorpion tattoo bright green upon his arm gleaming in the firelight as he makes a toast. we have some fine fighters and men among us. Perhaps when we have done with our favor to the sage we might look to take Elm to our adventurers Hall to learn and yet be well watched over?
Sarah & Elm
When Cerilis gives her the formal thank you she smiles and bows. "Thank you and you are very kind."
Sarah looks to Sylas and appreciates the offer knowing it comes from a place of kindness. I would hope he would never take up arms but if he did noble olf I would hope it would be with your honorable group. It is not my wish to see him take arms but I am only his mother and not his keeper. But I won't make it easy for him in the meantime.
Sarah smiles and takes Perri up on the offer and puts him to work along with anyone else willing to help. She points to Elm as he walks back up with five catfish and a smoked duck. The fish appear to be alive still and wet.
A few give a quizzical look at the fact that the fish are still alive but Maja smiles as she realizes the young man had caught them and stored them in a live well of some sort to keep them fresh.
Sarah sees the looks as Elm walks through the door from the barn area into the downstairs living area and places the fish on a table.
"Perri if you and anyone else can help him clean those fish that would be great. Also, we need that duck quartered and put into this pot along with some butter, lard, and ground powdered wheat." She points to several containers.
The next hour or so is spent with the Belon's family making stew, doing some chores inside the barn and home. Once Sarah has the second pot going she pulls out some nut & berry cheese that is flavorful along with a more mild, buttery cheese. She puts it on the table with dried blood sausage and crusty bread.
As she sets it down she invites Sylas and Cerilis to part take along with the rest of the party. She pats Maja on the shoulder after seeing her work to keep up with Tina and help in the kitchen.
Sarah:"Relax and make my home yours river sister."
As things quiet down Elm brings down several sets of clothes for those in armor.
Elm:"If you like; Bynoth you and your friends can change into these to get out of your armor and relax."
Sarah: "It will take a little time for the second pot to cook. In the meantime enjoy the cheese and bread."
Bynoth partakes of the fare offered as the conversation flows.
At Perri's chastisement the priest does not react, save to offer a steely glance at the whip-fighter before commenting on Belon's past as a veteran of battle;
"So your husband was a soldier? Of those who ply the trade of war it is said that only those who are craven or gifted grow old. Your man, like this community, strikes me as honest so I will presume him to be the latter."
Bynoth raises his cup in a salute.
"I too give thanks - both for his past service, and the present hospitality."
Sarah
Sarah watches as the group takes to helping Elm and her prepare dinner and clean up inside. She is impressed at how fast and efficiently Maja cleans and prepares the fish.
"So you have come to talk to Demetrious! I am not surprised. Every so often he calls on adventurers to do some deed for him. And he is old...much older than the oldest elder in the village. He was here a long time ago from what I understand. Belon has talked to him on occassion when he has walked into town. All of the town elders have and Belon is on good terms with him but he doesn't visit often. Maybe once or twice a year and then only for a few hours or so. It becomes the talk of the village when it happens."
She puts in all the catfish and stirs it a few times and adds more seasoning and gives it one more stir and puts the lid back on. She then pulls the other pot out to a spot it will stay warm.
"It was three or four months ago he last visited. If you intend on speaking with him be careful of his rocking chair. It is not friendly."
Perri fulfills Sarah's requests as best he can, not quite with the skill of Maja, but well enough.
When Sarah warns the group to give the rocking chair room, though, he has to laugh. Probably too loudly and definitely too long for Sarah to think he believes her. He does, though, and that's why he thinks it is so funny.
Harry also joins in the laughter while filing away the useful nugget of information.
So Demetrios be a sage eh? Not likely. He be a wizard 'n a powerful one indeed if'n he has a rockin' chair as his servant. I wonder if'n he be affected by th' Plague like all the other dweomer-crafters I have seen so far.
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Belon's Home
3rd Day of Readying (Early Spring) of 570cy
The rest of the day and through the night the party partakes in a good meal, good drinks and time spent relaxing by the fire. The little girl Tina spends most of her time with Maja but also "checking on" each of the other guest until she finally drifts off to sleep on her mother's lap while you talk about the area, the Hool Marsh, and the Old Sage.
Sarah and Elm don't know that much about him but they know that when the village is in need he often helps with wise words and advice but there are those that believe he helps in other ways but none of that has been proven and is only rumors. He is much older than he appears and Sarah knows that he was "old" when she arrived as a young lady newly married to Belon.
As the party settles down for the night the rain seems to subside after a massive lightning and thunderstorm for several hours.
The members of the party settle into sleep and each begins to awaken at the early call of the roster outside and the sound of the animals inside wanting out.
Harry awakens to find a goat curled up at his side sleeping and snoring content with the new found body warmth of the half dwarf. Bynoth, ever vigilant throughout the night, rises to meet the new day recalling when the goat made his way to Harry's side to snuggle. The house is still quiet as the sun has still not risen and the black night has given way to a dark purple and blue sky with just a hint of orange and red at the horizon; as each of the members of the party looks out the windows they realize it is a new day.
4th Day of Readying (Early Spring) of 570cy (+1)
Harry jerks awake as the presence of the goat startles him awake, "OCh...whatthebejeeses..." Finally coming to full consciousness he blinks his eyes trying to shake the tiredness from his bones.
Not willing to disturb the goat and perhaps trigger its bleating throughout the household, he stays put for the moment. Noticing the Oeridian was awake going through his daily rituals he calls out softly, so as not to disturb the others, "Bynoth, what make ye of this Demetrios? I believe he be a dweomercrafter, and not a simple sage. Kin he be trusted? What could a man like that truly be driven by?"
At Harry's voice Bynoth pauses where he kneels before his arrayed arc of weapons - darts, buckler, scimitar, pick and heavy flail.
The priest frowns, then rubs a hand over his stubbled scalp before answering in a whispered voice;
"I am torn. We suspect he is more than a mere frontier sage, and in these dark times that is cause enough for caution."
As he mulls his own words the lean Oread nicks his own thumb with a small hooked blade, akin to that a surgeon may wield. As a drop of blood wells, he lets it drip upon the blade or face of each weapon;
Let his day begin with the shedding of blood. Thus baptised, let his arms hunger for more. Let the strife of war be our banquet table. Thus fed, let his faithful hunger for more.
Bynoth's eyes close as he whispers again;
"Master Grawlund. You know arcane magicks better than I. Can such a man be trusted to be truly benign?"
great magical strength is cause for concern these days in the least and each day I wake and no issues arise is good and welcome. This man has lived many years. Who truly knows such magical power that could be there? Sylas says sitting and studying his book for the morning with less sleep that elves need anyway.
Cerilis stretches after a good nights sleep. He goes about eating breakfast and preparing for the journey to continue.
Harry shakes his head slow, and his voice is tinged with sadness. "Nay, my friend. Those who wield magicks 'ave been too often...controlled by their magic rather than controlling it. Th' temptations such power holds...why I dinnae trust me own...powers.
Thanim rises before sunrise and prepares to pray to his god for blessings . He faces the sun, kneels, and raises his arms, while calling upon Pelor. "I am your servant, light my way..." Once the sun rises above the horizon, Thanim rises from his knees, brushes them off.
Thanim looks for Sarah and thanks her for her tremendous hospitality, "You and your husband have been most kind and generous. This is a beautiful spring. Please allow me to bless your fields, that you may have a bountiful harvest."
"When it is time for planting, I would love to return and perform the ritual in the name of Pelor. In the meantime, however, if there is any way I can be of assistance, please let me know. Have you any livestock that is sick or needs attention?"
Laying where he slept, in a semi-fetal position, Perri keeps his breathing shallow and steady as he listens to the sounds of his companions starting their rituals. It doesn't take long, an he is standing, peeking outside to see if things are dry enough for him to run through his exercises and practice in a space with a little more room.
Knowing that the mud will just make the practice better work, and seeing the sky clearly enough, Perri steps outside and begins working through some practice with first his whip, the crack and snap providing an excuse for any who hadn't started moving yet to do so. After he feels comfortable, limber, and warm from his effort, he puts the whip away and runs through a few simple exercises with a scarf. As he wraps the scarf back around his torso, he scans the area, and frowns. Shrugging, he heads back inside.
"It's Cerillis' and Sylas' turn to make breakfast, isn't it? We could help repay the family by cooking for them this morning, couldn't we? Somebody come to the barn with me and let's see if we can't find some eggs."
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Sylas sputters and says I cannot cook. Are you possessed of foolishness or did you sleep too long? Gads I could burn water!.
Belon's Farm
Sarah and Elm rise and greet their guest. Sarah tells Elm to go to the smokehouse and grab the sausages and some eggs from the hens. Perri comes back with nearly a dozen eggs from the cope inside the barn.
Elm turns to Sarah as Perri walks up to the table..."The eggs are taken care of ma...I will grab wood and the sausages."
Sarah tells each of the guest "Good morn to you!" She begins pulling a few pans out of the cupboard and putting them on the grill of the fireplace as she puts dried wood in the fire stokes the embers until they have once again produced a flame.
"I can make tea, nothing fancy, but if someone knows how to milk a cow there is fresh cream as well. She turns to pitcher and points to it and points to the last cow on the end of the barn. " Just fill the pail hanging on the poll and put it in the pitcher. When Tina rises she can rinse out the pail once you are done."
She then pulls out several different potatoes and begins rinsing them off from with fresh water from a pitcher she had on the table that was covered while using a wooden bowl.
As the party completes their morning rituals and practice and prepare for the day Sarah prepares breakfast and Elm goes about tending to routine chores. He splits wood, tends to the animals and lets them into the yard, and cleans up around the outside of the housebarn. The little girl awakens and Sarah tells her to feed the chickens and to clean the milk pail. The little girl is not happy with her chore list and seems more set on spending time with her new friends.
After a while breakfast is ready, a simple course of scrambled eggs, skillet potatoes with onions and breakfast sausages. Milk, tea, and fresh water are on hand. It is a hearty breakfast topped off with toasted bread and butter.
The morning sun is now in full bloom across the east sky and Harry and Maja can see the day will be sunny with very few clouds over head.
Sylas stands and gathers all the dishes and carries them over to the sink and then puts the dishes in the water and starts making up a bad off tune song about cleaning dishes meanwhile using the words to do prestidigitation and make those plates, pots, and pans as clean as when they were new.
As Harry watches the sun rise, his thoughts far away frrom this place, he contemplates briefly what the future may hold here.
This sage may be trouble...er' he may be a saint in disguise. I be ready fer either...
He stays out of the way of the others preferring to let them handle the mundane chores here though his eyes to catch Sylas performing some odd gestures...
...but they mean nothing to him.
"Tis looks like the storm be blown away now. Should be a pleasant walk, 'xcept fer the mud that be on the path he he."
Cerilis goes about making something for breakfast. He is not an expert but he can cut some fruit and crack an egg like anyone else.
Belon's Farm
The breakfast concludes and the party makes preparations to walk to the Sage's home.
Sarah walks out with them and hands Cerilis a small covered basket. "It is for when you grow hungry on your travels latter in the day. It is not much but it will keep your bellies from growling." She looks at Harry and Thanim recalling their appetites. "Most of you." She laughs at Harry and Thanim.
She turns to Cerilis "Thank you and your friends for helping around the house and with the breakfast." She turns to the rest of the group as Elm comes around the corner from doing chores and tending to his duties. "May your travels be safe and filled with sunny skies. I will tell my husband that you stayed with us and count you amongest our friends." Sarah and Elm along with Tina say their good byes to you and the party makes their way east down the small trail towards the east on to the Sage's home.
As the group gathers together their things, Perri writes a very simple, short note, and wraps it around a small stack of coins, leaving it out of the line of sight, but somehwere he thinks it will eventually be noticed, like under the corner of a chair.
The note says "For the children". It is wrapped around a short stack of gold coins, one for each child, including the two on the road with their father.
On the Road to the Sage's Home
As the party makes its way to the Sage's home they make their way down the road to the east. It is a short walk down the eastern trail but Maja manages to guide the group to the hill just on the eastern edge of Labalna.
It is less than hour of walking and the group can see on the left and right small farmsteads. There is a small memorial by a large oak; the stone column that has a green disc marked with a circle carved and painted inside of it. On both sides are small stone pools with a natural ground spring feeding the pools. The runoff runs into a small creek behind it. There are carvings of animals and plants on the stones. The stone column appears as if carved to look like a two small stone oak trees with the roots being the pool around it. The two trees and the pool are odd for a memorial to Beory but it is a symbol of nature.
Maja believes the house is right around the hill if the direction they were given are correct.
Bynoth gives his thanks to their host, noting Perri's gesture with interest.
As the group approach the memorial, Bynoth
"The symbol of Beory - the Flan Oerth Mother... Perhaps this marks our sage and the folk of this land as her worshipers?"
Harry gives Perri a nod of encouragement at the gesture, "Best ta leave a good impression no?"
"If'n he venerates the good Mother Beory 'ere, it does speak well for 'is character. Yet even th' most placid seawaters hold secrets beneath th' waves. I suspect our good Sage has plenty o' secrets ta spare!" Harry speaks up.
let us be at the ready when we arrive at his door then Sylas says as the group discusses the holy symbol.
Bynoth offers a curt nod in agreement at Harry and Sylas' words;
"Beory is also changeable, like the weather. We would do well to remember these things when taking measure of the man."
Thanim gathers his things and gives Sarah a sincere thanks for the hospitality. Finding one so kind and generous warms his heart and renews his determination to be a force, a beacon, a light for the goodness that is within mankind. "You have been gracious beyond my greatest expectations. If you are willing and the fates allow, I would like to return to bless your fields."
---
As Thanim leaves, he stops at the gate to the home of Belon and Sarah. He turns and raises one arm to the sun and points to the house with the other, "May the light of Pelor shine upon this home, protecting it and all who shelter here from the darkness." He lifts the iron symbol of the sun tied around his neck and faces the direction of the rising sun. He turns 180 degrees to face the direction of the setting sun and lowers the symbol back to his chest. He pauses a moment in thought, then with a smile and a shake of his head, he shifts his pack and follows after his cohorts.
---
Bynoth offers a curt nod in agreement at Harry and Sylas' words;
"Beory is also changeable, like the weather. We would do well to remember these things when taking measure of the man."
Thanim momentarily lifts his eyebrows as he looks at Bynoth. "The clerics of Beory have been steady folk, in my experience. Once they determine something should be done, they pursue it and do not waver. If this Demetrius is a follower of Beory, we can trust that he has not chosen his path lightly. But we shall see."