Duran speaks to the king. "My king, please stand among us a bit further behind, you are too good a target right now."
"In the Expanse, chief commands from front." she looks back.
"Who are you?!?" she calls out to the cart as she moves briskly toward it.
Now that you are closer you see the man driving the cart is wearing brightly colored garb that matches his vehicle. When you call out he responds, "Well well well, Travelers! Good eve to you!" He smiles broadly and pulls a lever on his cart. A banner rolls down the side of the cart and you can read in large fancy letters it says, HAL'S HANDY HOME HELPERS!
He brings his wagon to a stop about 20ft from you. "Can I interest you in any of my finest wares today? I've come all the way from Varisia and I've a good number of fine items available." He smiles again and bows deeply.
"Salve! My name is Belvica of the Expanse, what be yours? What have you on offer, fendi?"
She then lowers her bow and walks towards the cart. She then peruses the cart for something interesting.
"What does the road ahead look like? Maychance, Have you seen trouble? "
"Yes yes, feel free." You see him push a lever and the sides of the cart pop open into a tent like structure and various shelves underneath the canopy are filled with a variety of shiny sparkly(potentially magic items).
After being asked about trouble the man thinks for a moment..."Trouble...uh, not that I've seen recently. I did hear about a horde of orcs attacking a small encampment, but that was several days ago and far from here."
It's all Firbell can do to rush Gidma through the press of guards without taking a bite out of someone, but he does manage it. Firbell and Gidma both approach and sniff a bit at the odd human and his heavily laden cart. Once it seems the man isn't hostile Firbell speaks up, "I was actually hoping for a weapon attachment I've seen used, it secures once weapon to ones wrist... if it's dropped you can retrieve it without too much hassle. Do you have anything like that?"
Duran doesn't hear the woman's comment as he already looks with a raised eyebrow at the cart, then begins to grin. "Bob? Is that you? How on earth did you get here? And since when are you so brave to go without an escort!?"
The dwarf laughs and goes to the human to shake his hand, then turns back to the group. "This is Bob Hal Mustavio, a fox of a merchant, and only one of five humans who have access to trade in almost all dwarven lands. Last time I have seen him three years ago he was into tinkering and rarity trading. Before that he sold ale and silverware, and even earlier I believe he sold pelts and art. He is a friend of my family, and I think his Majesty may also have heard of him."
Duran looks up and down at Bob. "You had more hair then though, and a smaller belly." Then laughs again. "I don't recall you stopping at Stonewood for a while, and you travel towards the capital from the opposite direction, how long didn't you get fresh air friend?"
Sturgiss sits silently on his mount, first of all because he has little to no coin to trade with, and secondly...he's not really sure how to do so. Hmmm should have thought of that before I got on this infernal beast. The horse sensing his thoughts shifts nervously, and Sturgiss has to lurch to hold on.
To Firbell's question, Hal ducks behind his cart and rummages in a bin for a few moments. Then hops out and move around to another.
When he hears Duran's voice he nearly smacks his head on the shelf in his cart. "By the gods! Duran, I've not seen you in...uh... well, it has been quite a while. And your majesty, I didn't recognize you. Please if you travel with the king anything is on me. I would allow my lord anything."
He bows low again and you hear the thunk as his head hits the shelf again as he comes up. He goes back to rummaging mumblilng something...I know its here...butwhere...hummpph.
Duran looks at Sturgiss. "Boots then?"
Belvica looks at the merchant and says "Do you have any good ranger gears? Mayhap special axe or bow"
Sturgiss gives Duran a...look, and decides that as usual if he want's something he has to do it himself...no matter how embarrassing or painful, then tries to gracefully dismount the infernal demon animal that had been carrying him.
Ride
And somehow keeps from landing flat on his Behind. Then clearing his throat he steps towards the wagon.
"Well if you've got any sensible sturdy boots, I'd be much obliged if you could let me try them on".
Belvica says, "Thank you sir; Do i rub all the stone everytime or one stone when I want to use it?" she smiles meekly and curtsys.
Duran peeks into the wagon. "Well. Bob. Do you have maybe some healing potions, ah... and one of those great Westshore Bloodred bottles? You know, the one that burns first but then regenerates you. Love what you humans can brew up as drinks."
Klothar blows air through his moustache again, and leans forward in the seat of his cart to see what Hal offers.
"Any alchemical ingredients in that contraption of yours?" he asks during a lull in conversation.
Sturgiss pulls off the remnants of his shredded boots, and puts the new boots on his battered and bruised feet. A smile alights his stubbled face as the boots seem to fit. In fact he gets to his feet, and begins a quick jig singing "The bull on the roof", is a surprisingly loud voice to accompany his steps.
Firbell grins as Sturgiss bursts into song, the dwarf is obviously pleased with the boots, and glances back at the bustling merchant, hoping he has a weapon cord for sale... it is a relatively new and unused item after all.
Firbell exclaims happily, "Ahhh, yessir. That is exactly what I was looking for!" He reaches out for the simple item and beings fastening it to the scimitar at his belt and his wrist. As he does so, while looking down as he fastens the object to him, "How much then?"
Klothar looks at the bottle inquisitively.
Belvica walks over to Firbell, "I gotta me sum pretty rocks for arrowin some food, HAHAHAHAHA! What did you get?" She then walks over to Gidma, "Are you being a good boy?"
She then pets Gidma.
"Mr. Sturgiss, you no like horsey? Why? Me's a jungle dwarf."
Firbell shows off his item to Belvica, "I read about these before, it's a weapon cord. If I drop my sword in combat, and he coughs in an embrassed fashion, "not that I've ever dropped my sword before, but if I did then it won't fall far." He demonstrates and lets the sword drop towards the ground. It halts at the end of the cord, and he grins at Belvica, "See? Then I can just tug it back to my waiting hand!" Perhaps his enthusiasm was too much but he jerks the cord much too strongly, the scimitar flying up in a wide arc, coming close to slashing at least four faces before it comes to rest on the ground with a clang. Firbell gives a light, nervous laugh and then carefully reins the weapon in and resheaths it. "You see? errHrmm. Did you say you had some arrow rocks? What are those?" He seems eager to change the subject.
You need to shows me that trick agains... HAHAHAHA! She gets real excited.
"Ima guessin you rub rock on arrow and then it does stuff, like a fire or water. Me no understand, me thinks you can ruin a hut wit dis, we'll see. Mebbe no have to grill meat with fire and lightning one. May find enchanter to get better."
She walks over to Klothar "You do chemicy stuffs, yes? Cansa you upgrade a these new arrow rocks?"
"Ah yes, a fine bottle of Westshore Bloodred, you don't have healing potions too this time?" Duran asks from Bob as he reads what date the bottle is from.
You okay with this?
Klothar scrutinises the bottle and makes a small noise that appears to be approving in nature.
"How much?" he asks, prepared to barter if needs be.
Belvica walks over to Firbell, "I gotta me sum pretty rocks for arrowin some food, HAHAHAHAHA! What did you get?" She then walks over to Gidma, "Are you being a good boy?"
She then pets Gidma."Mr. Sturgiss, you no like horsey? Why? Me's a jungle dwarf."
Turning to the Dwarf with an even stranger accent than his archaic one Sturgiss frowns a bit as he answers.
Well, It's not that I don't like them, it's just they're rather long legged, and I'm rather short legged". "And while that's good when you're trying to get somewhere in a rush, it leads to...well...instability". "Just prefer to walk on my own two feet, and with these great new boots, I'm looking forward to that again".
"And I'm sorry for your misfortune". "It must be terrible to live among all that greenery and life, instead of with solid rock and mountains all around you". "Bet you're glad to be here instead of in that Elf nest".
Firbell tries to hide his snort of laughter as Belvica's home is referred to as an 'Elf nest'.
"We haves a mountains, too but better food outside. Elves not as tasty as Springbocks or alligators, meat too stringy must make them jerky. Takes too long. Elves dumb they usualy slaves in Kibwe."
She smiles... Bluff
Firbell raises his eyebrows in alarm at Belvica's admission, but remains silent for a moment as he digests this new information.
Sense Motive
"REALLY"! "Well I guess that would make them good for something...though It would probably give me indigestion.
Belvica has you both snowed, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You think we eat elves, there be much tastier things in da jungle and savannah, big melons, bananas and coconuts.
At first the king looks somewhat taken aback at Belvica's comment, but then he laughs good naturedly as she explains. "I wouldn't go as far as eating an elf, but I've not had good experience with them in the past." He smiles to Hal and tries to offer him a satchel with some coins, however the merchant waves it away.
"No payment from you my liege." Hal bows and then moves back and pushes another lever on his cart and all the drawers retract back into it. He then hops back into the seat and gives a command and his horses start moving.
The king looks to you, "It is some what late, would you like to stop to make camp here or would you be alright to press on further?"
"Let us move forward, I have the feeling we will be followed since the gate incident, and thus we should be out of their reach." Duran packs away two bottles of Westshore Bloodred, and hands one over to the king. "Here, my king. Drink it as if it were medicine and keep it in reserve, even if your nose gets cut off in a battle, there is a chance this brew can regrow it."
Duran then turns to the moving wagon and waves at Bob.
Firbell waves a farewell to Hal as the interesting man trundles off, turning to look at the king, "I agree your Kingship, lets press on for now."
"May I suggest we carry on for two more hours and Is cover up our trail and then we makes camp, my excellency!"
"Sure let's travel on for a bit",Sturgiss gleefully reports looking at his new boots in wonder.
These are finely made indeed". "Though I've been jumping around a bit, my feet remain cool and comfortable".
Thank you my King". "These are indeed the finest boots I have ever seen". "And they fit perfectly". "When I first saw them I thought they were too big...but no they're perfect".
After watching Sturgiss do his new boot dance for a bit, Belvica says, "The ways youse jumps around, me thinks I know whys you has no beard, cuz you bes part gnome, and its normalwise green, HAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!
She then says, "Those a being nice booties"
"Very well" The king nods and spurs his horse onward.
You travel for several more hours encountering nothing but the rock and road. As you begin to get sleepy, you see off to the right of the trail is an outcropping of rock. It seems to be formed in several tall spires arranged in a circular pattern. The king moves his horse over to the side as you draw close and moves into the center of the circle.
As he crosses between the pillars you see a minor ripple in the air around him. He stops and dismounts his horse. You can see now that there is a firepit in the center of this formation and space for tents around it. The king begins unpacking his things from the horse, "This ought to be a solid place for camp. We can rest here til morning, then move on from here."
Belvica spends here ride camouflaging there tracks to prevent following.
Upon their arrival, she says to the king, "I'll take first watch "
At some point about an hour after leaving the merchant, Firbell clears his throat, "So my king, if you don't mind my asking, where are we off to... exactly?" He see's Gidma give me a decidedly disapproving glare as she trots alongside the horses. He widens his eyes and shrugs at her innocently.
Firbell looks around for the best place to help out around the camp and attempts to assist in the cooking if there's a need for some extra hands. Half the time is spend pushing an insistent and wet wolverine nose away from the contents of the cook-pot.
" We are headed to the Wall that separates the human lands. There we will meet an ally that will help us." The king looks very solemn and then remains silent for the rest of the ride.
When you dismount and Belvica announces first watch the king looks to her. 'There is no need for watches my fair ranger. The barrier we passed through is designed to allow travelers safety." He touches a rune on one of the pillars and you see the ripple effect increase. 'Now we are safe for the night."
You find yourselves able to make a fire quickly and are able to eat a hearty meal. As night goes on you tell stories around the campfire and the king leads you in old dwarven songs.
Belvica sits and listens to the others sing, not knowing any of the songs.
"Mr. Excellency, what is our quest?
After the king answers she reluctantly goes to sleep in the open and not setting traps, which she finds strange. She then has a dream about the mark...
Firbell sits back contentedly after the food, and stares into the fire. The constant flames still a novelty to eyes which usually see only the dim light generated by creatures and plants deep under the earth. He starts to hum, and then murmur the words to an old song, his voice rising and falling slightly in the quiet evening.
"Walking deep in lonely mountain,
Sam the mysterious, Sam the bold.
Sitting by the flowing fountain,
Sam the mysterious, Sam the bold.
Watching eagles dance on lightning,
Sam the Mysterious, Sam the bold.
Among the nations crushed by fighting,
Sam the mysterious, Sam the bold.
Never fallen, always defeating,
Sam the mysterious, Sam the bold.
Wonders how his heart keeps beating,
Sam the mysterious, Sam the bold.
So sing this song to lonely mountain,
Till the fingers are bent and cold.
And do not lament the long-dead fountain,
Sam the serious, Sam the old."
He turns in right after, Gidma laying half-atop his feet, and is soon fast asleep.
Sturgiss weary of traveling alone, gets ready to bed down with a look of contentment if not happiness on his face. He had never traveled far with a bunch of like minded individuals and it felt good.
He drifted off to sleep with pleasant visions in his head...till about 3:00 in the morning. Then he had the dream again...The dark things were moving, and he had to conjure fire to banish them...then the sudden awakening. The smell of smoke, the flash of heat, and the bright flash of sudden flame...Then he was jumping out of his bedroll, and using his nightshirt to stuff out the flames he had inadvertently set in his beard...again.
With a shy glance at any he had awoken, he drifted back to sleep, this time without interruption.
Duran quietly listens to the words of the King, then gets into position of being the night watch, as it seems no one else planned to do so. A rune is not a replacement for watchful eyes, and Duran still doesn't know the true motives of many of his new companions.
Duran allows the King and the others enough sleep, but wakes up Sturgiss a few hours earlier, so that he can also rest a while. For some reason, this fellow is the only one he trusts enough at this point to leave the king's safety to.
You rise in the morning, and although you slept on a hard floor you feel quite rested. As you pack up your things you set out on your way again.