"Mabel, will we have a driver for the journey or will we be driving the wagon?"
"It's just you six - we're trying to be discreet here, and unfortunately the more peolpe involved, the more of a risk we take."
"I can scout a trail," Falstaff offers quietly, eyeing Hershel with distaste. Dumb ass.
"Sounds good. If no one minds, I'll drive us out of Cheliax. And then we can take turns from there.
Mabel, do you have a map or a known secure route for us to take?"
"There is a trading trail that goes from here through Nidal - many merchants use it to transport goods between the two countries, with several towns along the way to stop for supplies and possible sales. Taking that, plus some creative pathfinding past the border of Nidal into Varisia, it would take just a little over a month to arrive in Yida."
After Mabel leaves and Dorian focuses on his spell he turns to the group.
"We are transporting magic items. I'm assuming they are in the crate. The magic auras are right in the center of the wagon under the silk and spices. I just wanted to know in case we are searched and the searching parties do the same. No surprises.
I agree Falstaff should scout ahead as his presence seems to make Hershel uneasy. After we rest, I'll keep a Calm Animals spell handy in case something spooks him. I can help Jaro lead Hershel and guard the wagon."
"Oh, okay," Marcaius agrees calmly. "That sounds like a good idea."
His face suddenly twists into an expression of concentration.
"Healing," he says suddenly. "Wands. Potions. Will we need them? The journey may be long. We have money. Maybe we should buy some from here before we leave."
Aviz nods at Jaro's suggestion. "That sounds fair, although it may be wise to have me be scouting ahead for the majority of the trip." He folds his arms and shrugs at all the talk of magic. "Healing never hurts. Purchasing a few potions could be a good idea."
"Excellent," the priest concurs. "So we just need to find a seller at this hour. Is three enough, do you think?"
Dorian takes off quickly toward the direction that Mabel went (with Mani following behind).
To Mani:
Dorian starts attempting to track Mabel.
If he doesn't he'll head back to the group.
Mani sniffs the cart a bit, then starts sniffing the air, then the ground to track Mabel.
Choraak has listened and observed the group's discussions. "Magic healing can just be purchased? For how much? Whichever of you is going to do this purchasing, I would appreciate some of this for myself. Nidal is not the most hospitable location for outsiders I believe. It would be wise for us to have a well prepared story, and a spokesman, should we have trouble with the Nidalese."
After Jaro placed his backpack underneath the driver's seat of the wagon, he comes back to the group. "Gentlemen, looks around you. This town is closed for the night. No one is selling anything at this hour. I still say we should leave now, as soon as we can, especially since we are still with Cheliax's borders."
Remove Fear - 50g
Protection from Evil - 50g
Bull's Strength - 300g
Greater Magic Fang +1 - 300g
"We'll probably take all 5 healing potions and I'll ask about the rest. I've got enough gold for 2 healing potions on me. I'll run back to the others and let them know and get the necessary gold. Thank you. I'll be right back."
Dorian runs back to the group:
"Mabel is the apothecary. She has 5 healing potions, a potion of Remove Fear, and a potion of Protection from evil. All are 50 gold each. She also has a couple more powerful potions but I'm not sure anyone has 300 gold to spare. Let me know who wants what, I'll run back and purchase the goods then we can get going while we still have the moon to guide us."
"I'll take a healing potion, if you please," Marcaius says, fishing out his coins from a pouch. "I'm pretty sure I'm able to cast the ones you mentioned as needed, and I don't have enough for the more expensive ones."
"Fine. Take my 50 gold. I'll take a healing potion," Jaro said in an impatient tone. With that the paladin climbed up into the cart driver's seat, drawing his cloak back around his body and waited.
"Do you know how long my tribe could eat on fifty gold?". Choraak is reluctant, but he forks over the money.
"Do you know how little food you need if you're dead because you were too stingy to buy some healing?"
Dorian takes the gold back to Mabel and exchanges it for the 5 potions of CLW, then comes back and hands them out.
"Now that everyone has their healing potions, are we ready to go?"
"Ready."
"The sagas of my people describe only a few dangerous quests at the behest of strangers in the night, but there are a few things that are common to them all. First, the requester is never exactly what they claim, or seem to be. Second, the perils of the journey are many and varied. And finally, when things seem most dire, the night most cold, and the food is running short, his voice rises to ensure all can hear him, there is no choice, but to eat the elf first."
At first he lets the silence ring, but shortly after, he cannot help but start to chuckle. A deep belly chuckle, from a not so large belly. Finally it gets the best of him, "haha, you get it? Eat the elf first! Hahahaha."
"Huh," Marcaius says in reply to Choraak's jest. He didn't really want to eat an elf. He couldn't imagine that they'd taste very good to start with.
"Er...Yes, I'm ready to leave as well."
With the confirmation that everybody is ready to leave, and the potions purchased, you set off into the night. The moon glistens above you and the road sprawls out before you into darkness, as the sounds of nature - the wolves howling at the night sky, the rustling in the grass off of the road, and the occasional "hoot!" of an owl ringing out in the distance, you begin your journey north in the cold night.
Night or day, either is fine. As for watches, Choraak has done most of his ranging alone, and just sleeps through the night. If watches are needed, he will take whichever is assigned.
Choraak will work on foraging.
That's enough for himself, plus one other. Choraak's goal is to forage each day, providing food for as many as possible, but when he fails, he intends to eat others rations before his own. I mean, he fed someone on day 1, so a bit of quid pro quo seems reasonable!
"Jaro. The donkey already has enough burden pulling the cart without adding another couple hundred pounds. Plus, if you're walking like the rest of us, you're already at the ready if we're attacked."
Dorian will walk with the donkey, leading it. Mani will walk at Dorian's side.
Dorian will try to improve the donkey's attitude to make it easier to handle if necessary.
Keeping a watchful eye for danger:
When foraging for food is necessary:
Falstaff quietly watches out for both enemies and resources.
Mani walks quietly at the side of Dorian keeping a lookout for any danger.
Marcaius walks along near the rear of the group, taking in as much of the scenery as he can see.
"Donkeys are beasts of burden, born to carry heavy loads. It might look suspicious if not one is in the drivers seat. Walk if you like, Ride if you like. It matters not to me," said Jaro in a curt manner. "It does matter to me if the two birdmen and the gnoll are seen when we are near settlements. When we get close to one, either hide in the wild or in the cart! I will drive until I can't anymore. We will make stops as needed." And with that, Jaro took the reins, gave them a snap, and the cart and it's contents begin it's journey north.
In that case, Dorian and Mani will let the Paladin and his donkey ride on by and walk along the back corner of the cart guarding the back of the party.
Dorian mumbles to Mani . . .
The days are long and the nights are lonely. The road sprawls out before you, winding and long, but you can see signs of life just off of it. The bloom of spring is in full swing, with fruits and berries plentiful, even just a few feet off the dirt path. You occasionally meet and pass by other carts, some big and some small, but all of them seem to ignore you - possibly out of fear, or maybe simply because they have better things to be worrying about. 5 Days into your journey, almost a week out, Aviz, flying ahead and out of sight of the rest of you, spots something - though it is soon apparent to all of you only moments after he sees it - an enormous, lush tree has fallen across the road, blocking all movement ahead.
Jaro brings the cart to a stop about 15 feet away from the tree.
That is a big tree. There were no major storms lately to bring down such a massive tree. I don't like this.
Jaro remains alert and at the ready.
Aviz lands on a tree branch and shakes his head. That might literally be the oldest trick in the book. He glances around to find the men he already knows are there, but fails to find anything out of the ordinary.
Aviz flies back to the party (long before they reach the tree) and growls. "There's an ambush set ahead at the tree. We either need to go around, scare them off, or get the jump on them. I'm down for any of those."
"Were you able to get a head count? I think we should deal with them. Even if we go around and avoid them, they're going to hit the next caravan that travels through."
"No, they were too well hidden for me to find them. Three on the road so probably around six in the trees." He looks forward to the tree. "You have a point. I say we ambush them, have only one of us approach from the front."
"I volunteer. Marcaius, will you stay in the cart and guard our silks for me?"
And things were going so well, too.
Falstaff grumbles slightly as he takes out his scythe.
Quiet as a shadow, Falstaff slips away to get into an ambush position.
The priest nods enthusiastically back to Jaro.
"Certainly! It will give me time to rest my feet and think about today's omens. You have only to shout if you need me."
Dorian and Mani will go off into the trees to the right of the road about 20 feet behind Jaro, covering the Paladin with his bow out.
His armor making a bit of noise as he walks in the trees.
Mani walks with Dorian ready to attack on command.
Before Jaro leaves the cart, he takes out his light crossbow and loads a bolt.
Then he calmly walks out to the tree, all the while with his finger on the crossbow trigger.
"Can I ask what purpose it serves for us to ambush the ambushers? I signed up to carry some things to a location, I did not agree to clean up banditry along the way. Surely there is some alternate way around this path?"
"Fine. Feel free to go on ahead. The next person that comes by who gets robbed or killed will be on your hands if we fail."
"Perhaps you misunderstood me? I was not proposing to go forward. I was proposing to go around. Neither I, nor we, are responsible for righting all of the ills of the world. We are at most responsible for our own actions, and to get this shipment through."
A female voice rings out from beyond the leafy tree - "Oh, hello there! Yes, you, in the armor! Could you perhaps give us a hand? We seem to be in a bit of a pickle and these two worthless 'Knights' seem to have trouble figuring out how to move this carriage with the one brain they share between them!"
"Of course, madam. I'll be right over to help you and your two 'Sir knights' out of this pickle," says Jaro in a loud tone, in hope his traveling companions hear.
Jaro lowers his crossbow hand to his side, but with the finger still on the trigger.
Well, if it's an ambush, it's pretty elaborate. Ragathiel, please keep my reflexes quick!