Kiley's hand moves to the patch on her shirt as a shadow crosses her expression.
"It nearly got me instead. If Maribel hadn't been there, I think that would have ended differently," she says quietly before her expression brightens and she grins, "That was some of the best stew we had on our way here, though."
Ari takes a circuitous route to avoid the horses as far as possible before easily hopping up onto the wagon. She nods thanks at the half-elf, before squeezing in next to the space Lisyil has kept for her. "I told you this would be fun," she says, flashing a quick smile.
Lisyil, matches Ari's smile with one of her own. She seems more excited and animated now.
"It will surely beat my attempt to go north. This is getting really interesting. It seems like few people get to go to Silvermoon Glade. I should just let you make all my travel decisions from now on."
Curiosity overrides Kiley's desire to spin a yarn for a moment.
"How long have you two been friends," she asks Ari and Lysil.
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”As for stories, I'd say the one about the trolls”
”I suppose that is the more exciting of the two. Well, the Trollclaw Ford is a formerly non-troll settlement that has been renamed after the many tribes of trolls that now call that place home. Had just finished exploiting a lucrative trade deal where we traded my family’s refined metals at Daggerford for loads of their fine clothing and sold it back in Baldur’s Gate. Unfortunately the ‘safest’ path takes you right through Trollclaw Ford, although most of the time you can get by without seeing a single troll. That night, however, we found an entire tribe on the road.”
She shakes her head, clearly remembering some awful event.
”Lost a few good men that night, but with my quick thinking I jumped into action. I found the self-proclaimed queen of that tribe and offered her an all-inclusive wardrobe change with the clothes we had brought from Daggerford. I spent the greater part of that night and several hours into the next morning acquiring passage for our caravan through the Ford. I’m one of the rare few who can travel through that nest of trolls unaccosted!”
”You be sure to remember that if you ever have need of passage up north.”
The gnoll tries to politely frame the question that most keenly interests him. "Your... love, your marriage, how did that... happen?"
"You can count me as another interested in that tale," Marith declares enthusiastically as she takes her seat on the wagon train.
The drow knew that orcs and dwarves were mortal enemies since the world was young, a conflict seemed to not have lost a bit of its fervor since then. To see members of two long feuding races find love regardless... it gave Marith hope. "Did you meet in the Underdark by chance?"
Helga begins to speak to answer but Garok, who was riding a horse besides the front wagon, cuts her off.
”I can answer this one. I was part of a tribe in the Sword Mountains outside of Waterdeep, a brutal raiding tribe that often made trips into the city to see what loot they could find and mayhem they could cause. I had challenged our leader, Drogthat Ironfist, for control over the tribe. I wasn’t the same person back then that I am now and was challenging him for purely selfish reasons, but I failed. He sent me on a suicide mission to Waterdeep and told me not to return: that’s where I met Helga.”
The orc sighs in content, remembering a time long past.
”She was on one of her frequent trips to the City of Splendors, where she found me laying in a back alley somewhere with I believe three arrows in my chest. Luckily for me, she decided to save me and nurse me back to health over the next few months. I couldn’t return to my tribe with my double failures, so I joined up with the Consortium and the rest is history.”
Helga speaks up, her face clearly blushing as she tries to hide it by looking straight forward at the road.
”Trade caravans like mine tend to have a habit of collecting the cast off or eccentric members of society, which I am sure you’ll see when we stop and make camp for the night. Can’t wait until you meet Elara, she’ll absolutely love you all, I think.”
Lisyil answers Kiley.
"Back earlier, in the summer. The same circumstances as this, we were traveling in the same caravan. That one was entertainers though, a traveling circus I suppose you could say. Good times."
Hearing Helga's comment Lisyil thinks Which I'm sure you'll see if you just look around right now.
Lisyil, matches Ari's smile with one of her own. She seems more excited and animated now.
"It will surely beat my attempt to go north. This is getting really interesting. It seems like few people get to go to Silvermoon Glade. I should just let you make all my travel decisions from now on."
"They're definitely not all as exciting as this one might turn out to be," mutters Ari, "but there is a joy in never quite knowing what tomorrow may bring. A tenday of monotony on a trade barge can always be enlivened by a chance encounter," she adds, putting a more positive spin on one of her regular lines of work.
"Back earlier, in the summer. The same circumstances as this, we were traveling in the same caravan. That one was entertainers though, a traveling circus I suppose you could say. Good times."
"That's pretty much it," agrees Ari. "A travelling troupe - singing, acting and more. As you can imagine, people come and go frequently - every night might be a different show - but me and Lisyil overlapped for a couple of months."
Helga speaks up, her face clearly blushing as she tries to hide it by looking straight forward at the road.
”Trade caravans like mine tend to have a habit of collecting the cast off or eccentric members of society, which I am sure you’ll see when we stop and make camp for the night. Can’t wait until you meet Elara, she’ll absolutely love you all, I think.”
Isn't that the truth? Ari smiles inwardly. The aforementioned troupe was unsurprisingly full of characters, and anybody glancing at the five of them right now would be intrigued as to what brought them all together. "And who exactly is Elara?" she asks Helga.
” And who exactly is Elara?”
”Elara is the caravan’s current wizard. She’s an eccentric elf and you’ll likely meet her tonight. I believe she’s busy watching over our most valuable cargo. But I think I’ll let her tell you about it, or maybe she’ll even show you! Don’t want to spoil the surprise, that’s for sure.” she says, turning back to smile conspiratorially towards the group.
Shaggar grows quiet (more quiet) and muses a long time on Helga and Garok's story. He's curious about the 'practical' aspects of their union but he has learned that isn't a question one should ask. Still, the idea of them... it gives him a certain amount of hope that he might find someone among the sea of muzzle-less faces that was his new world.
Kiley listens to Helga's tale about how she negotiated passage through the Trollclaw Ford and finds that she can well imagine the carnage that must have happened. She'd heard about trolls but never met one, thankfully, yet she remembers the raids on the Zentarim caravans and on her home and can easily fill in the details the dwarven woman leaves out.
Garok's tale and how Ari and Lysil met are a welcome relief after that. Helga's hinting about this mysterious Elara are almost enough to drive Kiley mad with curiosity, but she remembers that she has her end of the deal to up hold.
"Well, seeing as we'll be waiting a while yet to satisfy our curiosity, I think I owe you a story," Kiley says lightly.
"Shaggar and I were on our way to Tirel when we came upon this family making camp. It took a little persuasion on my part to convince them that he is as sweet as his name suggests. Thankfully they saw the truth in my words and let us join them. That badger stew really was some of the best food we had on the trip here." Kiley smiles fondly as she remembers the taste and smell, but it doesn't last long as she continues. "They were probably just as glad that they let us stay, too. There was this creepy doll thing that came into the camp and tried to make off with the little one they had with them. It was some kind of witch's handiwork from what we were told. Looked like porcelain, but a lot tougher, and it fought mean. Shaggar and I were able to stop it, but it nearly took me off my feet twice. If it hadn't been for Maribel, the grandmother, I'd have been out cold or worse. She and her goddess' divine aid saved me."
Anyone looking Kiley's way would notice her hand rubbing the spot where her shirt has been patched when she mentions almost losing the fight. There's a flicker of fear and shame in her eyes that disappears as she continues.
"Thankfully, Shaggar wasn't badly hurt and the only one of the family that had been hurt was the father. He'd been knocked out by the thing. Maribel promised better than the stew that first night, and we were rather sad to part ways. They were a good family and Maribel is a great cook."
Marith did not need to have sharp senses to notice the obvious discomfort on Kiley's features. Distressing memories were unfortunately all to common to the drow elf as well. "I'm glad to hear that the both you and Shagger were able to triumph over such an evil without loss of life," she says seriously before adding with a smile. "Maribel seems quite the heroine and cleric. Was she the one who inspired you to help the Selunites?"
"Maybe in the way that good people inspire others to try and be good or better themselves," Kiley answers. "I don't know if you could point to any one thing inspiring Shaggar or me to help. We were told by the priest of the tribe that had taken us in that something bad was brewing all the way here on the Sword Coast. Shaggar worships Elah and I worship Selune, who are one in the same as far as I've been told. I mean, you could say that my mother and father inspired me to help. My father was a priest and my mother worshipped Selune."
Kiley shrugs and smiles at Marith.
"I don't think anything inspired me to want to help. I want help because that's the right thing to do, isn't it?"
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Ari keeps her own counsel but as far as she's concerned 'the right thing to do' is entirely a matter of perspective. Kiley's comment strikes her as more than a little naïve. She's seen plenty of people act in less savoury ways because that was deemed 'correct' in that group or situation. Indeed, she's acted in ways that with some hindsight and learning she later regretted, but were unquestionably considered the right thing at the time.
And, she muses, which god does not teach their followers that they are following the correct path in pursuit of enlightenment, power, truth? Certainly Ari had been at least a few steps down the trail of Cyric because that was all she had known; now she would like to think she is several steps further along Leira's path. She doesn't feel that she has the same conviction that Marith or Kiley have in their patron deities, though she concedes wryly that more than a touch of uncertainty comes with the territory of worshipping the goddess of illusions and secrets.
She says nothing, however, but keeps listening to see how the conversation plays out.
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Marith couldn't help it. Despite only knowing the girl for a day or so she gave Kiley a short but firm hug. "Forgive the overfamiliarity but what you just said was so beautiful that Eilistraee herself must be smiling from the heavens. Selune too, I'd wager."
Kiley stiffens at the unexpected hug, though as Marith lets go, the young woman finds it hard to be mad at her. Some people are huggers. That's what Momma told me, she thinks to herself as she tries to gracefully recover from the unexpected embrace.
She's playing it off, but she did not like getting hugged all of the sudden at all.
"I-it's alright, Marith. No harm done, right," she says with a warm smile.
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Lisyil listens to the various stories with unwavering attention. Each one is full of drama and excitement, which impresses her greatly. They also intimidate her a little, and leave her unwilling to tell one of her own.
She has never been involved in anything comparable to them. There are many things in her own past which have been important, but they fall into different buckets of reasons not to share. The early things, like finding her mirror, first boyfriend, or first pixie seen, fall into the group cover by a loose taboo on divulging information about elven life inside The Wealdath.
More recent things like first city seen, first night sleeping under a blanket of stars high above, first dwarf seen, or first non-elven friend, mattered to her personally but didn't make for good storytelling.
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Ari watches the impromptu hug between the two women, happiness playing out on each of their faces. It might be unavoidable on the cramped wagon with everyone wedged in together pretty tightly but ordinarily she would not appreciate an invasion of her personal space like that; in the wrong circumstances would instinctively summon a knife into her hand. There doesn't seem to be a polite way to convey to them both 'Please don't do that to me' though.
She looks over to Lisyil, who has remained as quiet as she herself has through most of the storytelling, wondering what is going through the half-elf's mind. For all that she was generally sociable, one of the things that the two women had bonded over during their time together had been a need for personal space and quiet time, in Lisyil's case speaking with her mirror, in Ari's own some time to breathe and think.
With the tale seemingly at an end, she asks Helga, "On a more practical note, I don't think we're going to make it to the Friendly Arm tonight? With the days getting short and the nights being colder, do you have a destination in mind for a stop?"
Helga listens to Kiley's story and seems incredulous to hear about the moving doll. "You never know what you'll find in your adventures, huh? We've all seen some crazy things it seems. Hopefully nothing that exciting is awaiting you at the village, and everything is well." she says, smiling brightly.
"Oh no, love, we have at least two more days of travel after this one, unfortunately. If the weather holds this nice, we might get there shortly before dinner time on the 27th. For tonight, I have this wonderful spot at the bottom of a hill right off the side of the road I like to use whenever I take this road. It's maybe an hour ahead of us, so we should get there soon." she answers without looking back, trusting her rather loud voice to carry over the sounds of the wagon.
"Got anything you need to do before we stop for the night?"
"Oh no, no rush," Ari replies, waving a hand. "Merely curious what the plan was." And gives me some time to prepare for my return to the Arm and explain why they know me as Aamina.
"Yup. I always thought porcelain dolls were kinda creepy, but now I keep a lot closer eye on them," Kiley admits. Shaggar could attest to that. He'd seen her watching more than a few dolls, porcelain or not, in Tirel and Nimeton. "I hope everything is well myself, but better to be prepared for something bad and it not happen than to not be prepared and the bad thing happens anyway."
When asked if she needs to do anything before they stop for the night, Kiley shakes her head.
"I don't."
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Helga listens to Kiley's story and seems incredulous to hear about the moving doll. "You never know what you'll find in your adventures, huh? We've all seen some crazy things it seems. Hopefully nothing that exciting is awaiting you at the village, and everything is well." she says, smiling brightly.
The gnoll concurs, ”Just so. But it is best to keep one’s senses sharp and not ignore the sound of tiny bells. Sometimes a doll is not a plaything.”
"I-it's alright, Marith. No harm done, right," she says with a warm smile.
"It's good to know I haven't committed an offense, Kiley. Thank you." Despite the reassurance, Marith still searches Kiley's features in case she did in fact make a faux pas but finds nothing but a warm smile. Still, the Eilistraeen make a silent prayer to "rein-in" her excitability. Not everyone is in to hugs after all.
"I can only speak for myself but you probably know the immediate area for more than any of us given your profession, Helga. Unless anyone has a better idea, your spot sounds like a good enough place to lay our heads for the night."
The rest of the hour passes quickly, with Helga launching into a story about her trip to the Sunset Mountains to recover the Hammer of Dunthruum, a powerful dwarven heirloom to return it to the previous owner's family. It includes quite a few heroic deeds, including slaying a yeti that had claimed the cave entrance where the hammer was found and stealing it (back) from the white dragon that lived at the bottom of the cavern.
Eventually the story ends with a great sum reward from the dwarven clan in Elturel and the establishment of a trade house there for the caravan. A few minutes after she finishes, you arrive at the hill she mentioned earlier. The sun has begun to go down beyond the horizon and a small chill is creeping in.
"Well, here we are. I'll have some tents brought up from the rear. Don't worry, I won't ask you to setup any except your own yet. You've just joined, tonight is the night for celebration!" Helga calls out excitingly. "How many tents do you need, five? I'm not sure who is with who here."
"Oh yeah and once you finish getting settled in, join us at the campfire. You'll get to meet the core of the company! I hope Elara can bring her surprise, too, I'll go ask her about it."
Shaggar chuffs in approval at the civility of the offer. "That is very kind, sayyidah. Kiley and I have traveled many leagues together. We are used to sharing space. I am of the Bedine, our tent is open to as many as would share it." He looks to his other companions, an open offer if any of them wish to share a tent with Kiley and him.
Marith throws up her hand as Helga starts giving out the tents. "I could certainly use one myself if you don't mind." After spending more time then she'd care to admit setting up her tent she looks towards her compatriots and asks, "Who wishes to take first watch? If everyone else wants some bedrest I'm more than willing to take it. My eyes take well to darkness and moon is rather beautiful this evening. I would hate to miss its glow."
"Thank you," Kiley tells Helga. "It's as Shaggar says, we've been travelling together for a long ways, and we're happy to share a tent with any who would wish it. We look forward to joining you by your fire and meeting the others."
During their trip to Baldur's Gate, Kiley and Shaggar had largely slept beneath the stars. When the weather or natives turned foul, he improvised a tent with branches and a large swathe of camouflaged canvas he'd brought for just that purpose. Setting up an actual tent was simple in comparison. He puts their tent up quickly and moves on to help others who seem to be having problems.
"Who wishes to take first watch? If everyone else wants some bedrest I'm more than willing to take it. My eyes take well to darkness and moon is rather beautiful this evening. I would hate to miss its glow."
"Perhaps our hosts have a plan for that and we can fit into it."
Ari weighs up the question - ideally she would prefer to have separate sleeping quarters though she is used to sharing. She also doesn't really know her new companions, but neither does she want to offend them in the face of what she assumes is a well-intentioned offer. "Yes, that would be appreciated," she finds herself saying. "Thank you both."
To Marith's question of watches, she concurs with Shaggar. "They seem to have a plan for everything else," she shrugs. For now at least Ari keeps quiet about the fact she can see in the dark, waiting to see how it will be organised and who she may be paired with.
Lisyil quickly volunteers Ari and herself to share a tent.
"Ari and I are together. We can share."
”Alright, three tents it is then! Coming right up.” she jokes, before making sure they were brought to you. ”No need to worry about the watch. You’re welcome to keep your own, of course, but you’re part of the caravan now. Even if only temporarily. We take care of our own.” she says, that last part seeming as much a promise as it was a warning.
She heads off to make sure the rest of the camp is going well and the sun continues it’s drop behind the horizon quickly, with the orange-yellow burning glow of the light being replaced by the cool reflective light of the moon.
When you arrive back at Helga’s wagon, the campfire near it is a small affair with one short of half a dozen people already sitting at it. You recognize the dwarf and ofc pair as being the leaders of the caravan, but there are two identical female elf twins as well as a male halfling. One of the elves has a large crate about 5 feet by 5 feet on the ground beside her.
”Ah! You’ve arrived!” Helga calls out as you approach. ”Hope the tents didn’t give you too much trouble.” she says, laughing. ”This is the group I was telling you guys about earlier.” she continues, talking to her inner circle. ”You’ve met us two, but let me introduce the rest of them.”
She then goes around the circle, introducing Elara the elven wizard and her twin sister, the sorceror Seraphi. Elara is the one with the cage next to her, which seems to be the ‘surprise’ Helga kept mentioning. Finally, the halfling bard Pilkin. They each greet you politely as they are introduced.
”And now you know everyone! Or at least their names. Welcome to the group!”
Shaggar offers a bow to each of them in turn. "I am Shaggar, of the Bedine. It is an honor to meet you." He joins the circle around the fire and settles on an overturned log.
His ears perk forward and he smells the air, trying to learn about what may be in the box.
Lisyil quickly volunteers Ari and herself to share a tent.
"Ari and I are together. We can share."
Unsure whether Lisyil has jumped in with the offer for her own sake, Ari's, or a combination of the two, the tiefling is nevertheless happy to jump on board with the suggestion. She has shared a tent with the half-elf numerous times before and Ari is glad to have a familiar presence beside her. "Yes, that's good with me," she agrees.
* * * * *
At the introduction to the other members of the caravan crew, Ari makes careful inspection of the three unfamiliar faces as they are introduced. She then follows Shaggar's lead. "Well met," she says, "I'm Ari."
Despite being somewhat apprehensive about meeting Elara, an elf, Marith waves towards the new arrivals. "Hello! Eilistraee's greetings upon you. I am Marith Melarn of Waterdeep. You're friend Helga has been very kind to us."
As the sun sets and night falls, Kiley tells the others she'll be along in a moment. In truth, the rising moon presents something of a conundrum for the young woman. On the one hand, she always loves gazing at the moon and stars. Watching the night sky was like looking at a masterpiece of a painting for her. On the other hand, she would rather avoid some of the questions that would inevitably come if she isn't careful. For the next several minutes, Kiley works to make sure that she won't have to worry about moonlight hitting her skin.
Kiley joins the others as introductions are being made.
"I am Kiley Sherrow, friend of Shaggar. As he says, it is an honor to meet you," she says with a bow. While she tries to be polite, she can't help glancing over at the cage by Elara.
Shaggar detects a slight hint of ozone, and hears a slight crackle every few seconds that is hiding behind the conversation.
"I'm sure we're all glad to have you!" Pilkin calls out, her voice higher than everyone else's and therefore easier to identify. "Been a while since we picked anyone new up, excited to see what adventures we get up to!"
Seraphi laughs before replying. "Do you remember the last time we picked up stragglers on the road? That couple outside of Daggerford, the ones that ended up being cannibals? Because I do." she says, pointedly.
Pilkin turns towards you with suddenly suspcious eyes. "You aren't cannibals, are you?"
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Despite what common sense tells him, Shaggar can't resist. "A cannibal? No, definitely not... I would never eat a gnoll. Too much fur and not enough dark meat."
"Yeah, and we've never been able to cook a human that wasn't stringy and dry. Halflings, though..." Kiley says, playing off Shaggar and letting her voice trail off with a look of culinary bliss on her face.
Ari sighs dramatically, rolling her eyes in an exaggerated fashion. ”It would appear you have something of a bard’s timing yourself, Shaggar.” She smiles at the joke - and it is a good one, both sharp and self-aware - but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Inwardly she winces as it’s a bit too close to home for the tiefling’s liking. She thrusts her hands deep into her pockets and flexes her fingers back and forth, one more reminder of her tainted blood.
The gnoll mulls the idea a bit, "If I ever have occasion to sing or recite a poem... my lack of many bardic skills will be clear."
"It's alright, Shaggar. I can sing enough for the both of us," Kiley says as she pats him on the arm.
The entire group laughs at Shaggar’s obvious joke, but seem a bit uneasy at Kiley’s addition before understanding she is joking too.
Pilkin cries out in excitement when Shaggar mentions singing. ”Oh, delightful! I will absolutely have to hear you sing! It’s a thing I like to do, collect people’s songs. Yours will be a wonderful addition!”
”Well, come on then. If you’re not cannibals, we have some food for you! Hope you like pork, Garok hunted down a boar a few hours before we met you and we’ve been saving it to roast tonight.” Helga says. ”While our new friends settle in and get some food, why don’t you show off that prize of yours, Elara?” she continues, pointing to the cage sitting next to the elf.
Elara, for her part, looks slightly nervous and reluctant.
”Are you sure that’s wise? I can’t exactly control it fully yet, it’s pretty dangerous still…”
Marith looks at Elara curiously. "Prize? What kind of prize? Some kind of magical artifact you managed to find in your travels? If you think its to dangerous to show to us then I understand but I must admit I am curious all the same."
”Well, it’s not technically a prize. Its cargo, of the living sort, headed for an eclectic wizard in Amn. And it doesn’t like being held, of course, so it gets angry.” Elara answers.
”I have proper protection gear for myself, but if you want to see it I’d recommend you take a few steps back before I let it out.”
”Oh, delightful! I will absolutely have to hear you sing! It’s a thing I like to do, collect people’s songs. Yours will be a wonderful addition!”
The gnoll chuffs nervously. "I will need singing lessons before my voice would do more than make your ears bleed... but it is an interesting challenge. Perhaps a chance for a trade."
”While our new friends settle in and get some food, why don’t you show off that prize of yours, Elara?”
Shaggar leans in to look at the box and its elven mistress. His ears perk forward in curiosity. "Is it an elemental?"
It doesn't take long for the others to see that Kiley is joking, either. She bursts out in laughter after glancing at Pilkin's expression. She knows she'll be finding herself the but of a joke sooner or later, but that is alright. As her parents had told her often, if you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at.
===
"The Bedine were kind enough to teach me a few songs. I can try to do them justice tonight if Shaggar wishes to spare everyone's ears," she tells Pilkin with a wink Shaggar's way to make it clear she mean no ill will.
===
Kiley raises an eyebrow at the crate as she hears the tone of caution in Elara's voice.
"Will so many people make it agitated? I'd hate to sate my own curiosity at the poor creature's own needless discomfort."
”Oooh, close!” Elara calls out, getting excited about the prospect with every second. ”I guess it can’t hurt too much, let me get my protection equipment on and then I’ll show them. As long as everyone stays calm and doesn’t excite it, we should be fine.” she says, which elicits cheers of excitement from the group.
She pulls a pair of gloves that appear to have some form rubber attached to the fingers of both hands, and reaches into the top of the cage before attaching a leash to whatever it is inside. Opening the door, she finally reveals whatever it is that everyone has been waiting for.
A small blue skinned reptile, about the size of a young crocodile, slowly crawls out of the cage on its twelve short legs. It has a strange looking rubber muzzle over its elongated snout, which covers its razor sharp teeth and seems to be holding in the crackles of electricity constantly popping out of its mouth.
”It’s a baby behir! We acquired its egg when we unfortunately encountered its mother a few months back, slain by some other beast. I’ve been taking care of it ever since, and it matched a few weeks ago. They grow so quickly! It’s being taken to a wizard in Amn who specializes in these sorts of things, no need to worry about its well-being.”