While introductions (and jokes) are being made, Garok joins the group with a large pot of soup and armfuls of bowls. He nods towards Sasha before introducing himself to her as the head of the guards for the caravan.
"Unfortunately tonight's dinner is going to be a bit simpler than the previous few meals. We're running a tad bit low on fancy food supplies, but we'll stock back up when we part ways at Friendly Arm."
He sets the pot down and produces a ladle to aid him in distributing the soup, which is comprised of leftover salted meat, cubed potatoes, and a handful of vegetables and spices. A handful of hunks of bread join the soup in a bag he sets on the ground for you to hand out among yourselves.
"The village here doesn't have a full hostel or anything, but the big building there serves as both their meeting place and a bar should you be looking for a drink and some helpful information on the area. Might be a good idea to drop in for a bit before you retire for the night." With that, he finishes handing out dinner and returns to making his rounds about the caravan camp.
Sasha looks a bit sad at the news that the party wasn't inclined to travel at night...yet. "Maybe I can change your minds once we split off from the caravan. That is, assuming you all don't mind me joining. I've helped guard traveling merchants before, so I won't be dead weight..."
As the party jokes about Shaggar and the women traveling with him Sasha shrugs and genuinely laughs along. She partakes of the soup and nods at the suggestion of the common building-inn. "I can buy the first round for everyone. Shall we?" she offers.
"Maybe I can change your minds once we split off from the caravan. That is, assuming you all don't mind me joining. I've helped guard traveling merchants before, so I won't be dead weight..."
"I don't mind, but it's also not my caravan. Helga and Garok are the ones that run it, and speaking of Garok," Kiley says with a smile as the half-orc cook comes around with the stew pot.
"Unfortunately tonight's dinner is going to be a bit simpler than the previous few meals. We're running a tad bit low on fancy food supplies, but we'll stock back up when we part ways at Friendly Arm."
"I don't mind simple. It smells good," she tells Garok as she takes her bowl and a piece of bread. "Besides, I still need to wheedle some time with your cookbook out of you." She gives him a mischievous smile before moving out of the way for the next person.
"The village here doesn't have a full hostel or anything, but the big building there serves as both their meeting place and a bar should you be looking for a drink and some helpful information on the area. Might be a good idea to drop in for a bit before you retire for the night."
"I can buy the first round for everyone. Shall we?"
Kiley looks to Shaggar, then to the sky.
Shaggar takes the food with thanks and begins to nibble while listening to the conversation.
"I can buy the first round for everyone. Shall we?"
Kiley looks to Shaggar, then to the sky.
The gnoll sees Kiley's eyes move from him to the sky. He follows her gaze and looks in the same direction. After a minute of mirroring her, he says, "The stars contain many answers... but do not contain, I think, an answer to Miss Sasha's question."
He looks at the woman with different colored eyes. "I would like a drink. We will see if my presence is appreciated or breeds problems."
He starts walking slowly toward the ersatz tavern while working to finish his bowl of food.
As if he'd been part of the conversation, he offers, "After Friendly Arm, I would not object to traveling at night. I am a desert creature, after all."
Although she is hungry enough, Ari picks at her food, eating slowly. The arrival of the newcomer has knocked her slightly off balance. She has to concede Sasha has a personal magnetism about her that she likes, and she strikes Ari as someone used to getting their own way. But the woman's assumption that she will just join them, trying to get them to change their plans to accommodate her already? Well, let's just say the tiefling isn't the type to just take things on trust.
"I'll take a glass of whatever they've got please," she says regarding the bar order. "Wine, if they have any." She drops her hood, revealing the blue skin of her face and thick mane of hair more clearly. "I'm not sure my presence will make your job any easier," she says as Shaggar and Sasha head off to get drinks, making light of the situation even if it strikes at a point of pain for the woman.
As the pair head off, she uses this as an opportunity to speak to Kiley privately, sliding in close beside her. "Everything ok?" she whispers. "You didn't seem entirely comfortable with something our new friend said or did. Call me paranoid - and plenty have - but does it strike you as a little strange to find someone here so keen to travel with us? Could just be a coincidence but, well, I'm not sure I trust coincidences."
"The stars contain many answers... but do not contain, I think, an answer to Miss Sasha's question."
Kiley blinks then gives Shaggar a sheepish smile.
"You're right," She says before turning to Sasha. "Forgive me, but I think I'll be turning in early after I finish eating. It's been a long road for Shaggar and myself, and I'm feeling tired."
"You didn't seem entirely comfortable with something our new friend said or did. Call me paranoid - and plenty have - but does it strike you as a little strange to find someone here so keen to travel with us? Could just be a coincidence but, well, I'm not sure I trust coincidences."
Kiley nearly chokes as Ari asks her question. She coughs a couple of times before she can get a waterskin open and start drinking. After taking a moment to catch her breath, she looks up at Ari.
"W-what do you mean? I'm fine. She's fine. We're all fine," she says.
Kiley may be many things, a skilled liar is not one of them though. She's obviously a bit unnerved by Ari's observation about her.
Sasha shrugs and smiles, seeming content with some of the party joining her and others declining. "Sleep well - I will see about joining you tomorrow with the caravan. Thank you for introducing me to Garok!" she says as Kiley excuses herself.
Going with Shaggar and Ari to get something to drink, Sasha does buy the first round, not just for them but also any of the rest of the caravan that are there. She continues to be friendly, but does excuse herself twice - once to speak with the caravan leads about joining until the party gets to Friendly Arm, and then around midnight for her evening prayers.
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It is only after he is walking toward the 'tavern' with Sasha that he realises what Kiley was alluding to. I'm a fool. Having traveled together for months, Kiley's peculiarities were simply givens in his life. He didn't even think about them any longer... and some he found rather appealing. I'll apologize later.
In the meantime, he was curious to learn more about Sasha and see how poorly the night went by combining alcohol, country-folk, and a gnoll.
"Sleep well - I will see about joining you tomorrow with the caravan. Thank you for introducing me to Garok!"
"Always happy to help," Kiley replies.
Kiley nearly chokes as Ari asks her question. She coughs a couple of times before she can get a waterskin open and start drinking. After taking a moment to catch her breath, she looks up at Ari.
"W-what do you mean? I'm fine. She's fine. We're all fine," she says.
Ari gives Kiley a second to flail around before putting a hand gently on her shoulder. ”Of course you are, sweetheart,” she says in a sugary voice, still whispering. ”You don’t know me, you don’t trust me. That’s fine. Your secrets are safe between you and Leira.” She shakes her head slightly. ”But you’re a terrible liar.” Bouncing back to her feet, she walks deliberately back to where she had been and sits down next to Lisyil, waiting for the drinks round to arrive.
Kiley flinches and there's a brief flicker of panic when Ari touches her.
"What makes you think I'm lying," Kiley asks Ari with a whisper.
”Your face. Your voice.” Ari hesitates, wondering if she was wrong. ”Maybe you’re not lying. Maybe you’re a better actress than I’m giving you credit for. Like I said, we’re all entitled to our secrets. I just wondered if you shared my suspicions, is all, and you looked to me like you did,” she says placatingly.
Kiley thinks for a moment. Sasha seems eager, that's true, but that isn't necessarily a sign of someone wanting to infiltrate the small band. Besides, it wasn't really Sasha that made her squirm so much as what she wanted to do.
"You mean, do I think Sasha'll be trouble," she asks. "No, I think she's earnest, though only wanting to travel at night is a little odd. Shaggar could handle it, but not everyone has eyes that can see in the dark, and traveling at night here is a lot different than traveling at night in a desert. It's too easy to miss something and twist an ankle or hurt yourself in some other way. But odd isn't the same as dangerous or malicious. If she is a follower of Selune, she'll probably want to help out once she knows what we're doing. Besides, I don't think one person's going to try something while in a caravan like this. We can probably make it to Friendly Arm and meet up with the priestess we were told about before she tries something if she is going to betray us all or something else equally bad and stupid. A priestess could probably better tell if someone's trying to pass themselves off as a fellow priestess better than a lay-worshipper."
She shrugs after finishing her explanation.
"Unless you see something that makes her a threat, I don't see why we wouldn't want her along. More eyes means more chances to spot something before it bites you on the butt."
The 'bar' can barely even be called that. It's one small counter alongside one wall of the village's meeting building with a few barrels of drinks sitting on the floor beside it. A man is standing behind the 'bar' - presumably what serves as a bartender, and as Shaggar and Sasha enter, the entirety of the gathered people in the room turn to stare at the pair. Specifically the gnoll Shaggar notices quickly enough.
The bartender waves a hand towards the crowd (though it can barely even be called that) and moves over to the barrels.
"Pay them no mind, they just haven't seen a 'friendly' gnoll. I know Helga, and if she vouches for you then I trust her word. What can I do for you?"
The gathered people return to their own business and conversation before too long, but neither Shaggar or Sasha can discern any specifics from here. If you wanted to gather info from these people, you'll need to do some more in depth digging.
The gnoll takes the they’re all staring at me effect in stride. It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last. Trying to put Sasha at ease with it, he quips thoughtfully, ”Hm, perhaps something is stuck in my teeth and they are too polite to say?”
He presses forward to the ‘bar’, nodding politely to the ‘barkeep’, ”Good evening, sayyid. There is a lady outside who would like wine, if you have it. And I would like… whatever local drink is favored. Sasha?”
Shaggar glances around, looking to see what sort of games these people play, if any.
Ari listen carefully to the response before considering a reply. "Yeah, I suppose you've got a point there - we're not exactly your standard crew anyway. I'm hardly in a position to complain about anyone else's oddities."
Ari is being self-deprecating about her appearance but there's an honest note of something - pain? bitterness? - hiding behind the more upbeat tone.
"Anyway, I've not seen anything I think is a threat, more just that it seems, let's say... fortuitous that she bumps into us here. It all feels a little neat but maybe someone's got on Tymora's good side." She runs a hand through her hair. It takes a bit of a tug as there's more than a little resistance from its density and thickness. "And that's a good practical point. I can see in the dark - I've done my share of work in it - but I wouldn't normally choose it for travel if I didn't have to. Orcs, goblins and bigger and scarier things also move around at night. Shows she can look after herself if she regularly does so, too. But," she adds, a note of empathy in her voice, "if she truly can't see well in the light then I guess it's not surprising she doesn't want to travel in the daytime." She pauses before concluding, "I'm happy to roll with things and see how they play out."
Kiley looks at Ari as a slight frown clouds her expression. She shouldn't be surprised. She looks human for the most part, and she can hide the features that give her away. Ari can't, and the way most people treat those with fiendish blood in their veins is bound to make even the most good natured person a little bitter.
"That's true," she says as Ari finishes giving voice to her thoughts. "She can probably ride in a wagon for now, but after we part ways with Helga, we may have to find a compromise or a wagon of our own. We have time to worry about that later, though."
She pauses for a moment before adding in a softer voice so that only Ari hears, "I apologize if I've ever treated you unfairly, Ari. I can make excuses, but that doesn't change that it hurts you. I hope you can forgive me."
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Not entirely sure where the apology has come from, Ari raises an eyebrow. "Relax, you're fine," she whispers, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "You haven't done anything to me. And you wouldn't be friends with Shaggar if you weren't able to look beyond appearances."
"If you say so," Kiley says, not all that sure she's as unjudging as Ari thinks. She yawns. While she'd mostly said it to avoid being caught outside under the moon, it has been a long day and she is tired. She finishes her meal and cleans out her bowl before bidding Ari and Lysil good night.
Later, when Shaggar is ready to bed down for the night, he finds Kiley fast asleep in a nest she's made for herself from her blanket and bedroll. One of her ears flicks as the tent flap is opened, but she doesn't stir from her slumber.
Sasha smirks at Shaggar's jokes and pays for a round of drinks to everyone in the "bar" as well as Ari. She seems comfortable with the crowd but doesn't tend to dwell with any one group too long. When Shaggar steps outside to deliver Ari's drink Sasha smiles and waves, not following.
”Ah, this place is much too small for anything so fancy, sir. I can get a gallon of ale for all of us, your folk and the people here. Would that work?”
After given the go-ahead , he cracks open a fresh barrel of ale for the group. You notice the crowds’ attitude switch nearly immediately, warming up to you much more quickly. Sasha mingles with the crowd on her own for a bit longer after Shaggar heads outside, and the drinkers get even more comfortable once the gnoll is gone.
The talk turns to all sorts of conversations ranging from this year’s fishing profitability and crop harvest, all the way to rumors of goblins roaming from the east towards the forest and causing problems.
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Shaggar takes a 'glass' (tankard) of 'wine' (ale) over to Ari. He hesitates before handing it to her, "Wine is too fancy for this uh... establishment. Your choices were fresh ale or stale ale. I selected the fresh." He hands her the tankard. "I will rejoin Miss Sasha to see what I can learn of her."
He turns to walk away, stops, then turns back in a swirl of his desert bisht. He regards the rogue. "I hope this is not untoward, Miss Ari but... blue, it suits you." He offers her a small half-bow then, in another swirl of his robes, turns and heads back to the 'bar'.
Sasha spends the evening talking with the caravan guards and owners, first enlisting for the next leg of their trip and then learning about their expectations as far as Friendly Arm.
Sasha learns that next to no one at the tavern or anyone they’ve known has ever been to Silvermoon Glade, but one excessively drunk patron recalls a tale of a wonderful village surrounded by trees. He says that his uncle once knew someone that was allowed to enter the Glade, and saw inside. Not a lot of coherent details, but he mentions an important well? Weird guy.
Other than that, most of the talk in the tavern is about the goblins hounding the roads in the area. Some think they come from the Wood of Sharp Teeth, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
"Goblins, huh? Well, that's why I'm so easily hired on for the caravan. More fortune for me, I suppose..." says Sasha as she takes her last drink, finishing a mug and returning it to the bartender. She then excuses herself, muttering about sleep since she will need to be conscious in the morning...
Shaggar re-enters the 'bar', curious if he will cause another lull in conversations. He watches Sasha canvassing for information of various sorts.
At one point, as she makes the rounds, he opines. "You are very determined."
Shaggar takes a 'glass' (tankard) of 'wine' (ale) over to Ari. He hesitates before handing it to her, "Wine is too fancy for this uh... establishment. Your choices were fresh ale or stale ale. I selected the fresh." He hands her the tankard. "I will rejoin Miss Sasha to see what I can learn of her."
He turns to walk away, stops, then turns back in a swirl of his desert bisht. He regards the rogue. "I hope this is not untoward, Miss Ari but... blue, it suits you." He offers her a small half-bow then, in another swirl of his robes, turns and heads back to the 'bar'.
"Thanks," she says, taking the tankard in two hands. "Good wine, perhaps. I've been to my share of less than salubrious joints and there aren't many where cheap wine would be regarded as too fancy. Fresh ale would have been, mind." She takes a sip. "That's not bad. I've certainly had worse," she comments.
She's slightly taken aback by Shaggar's compliment - or at least that's what it seems to be as she probes tit for any sign of backhandedness - but manages a slightly stuttering reply. "Uh... thank you." Recovering her composure, she adds, "It's not like I had a lot of say in the matter. But you've got to own it and I do make it look good." I'm sure you'll see me working a different look in due course, though tomorrow's still going to be a blue one. Ari raises her mug in salute to the gnoll's bow. "Don't stay up too late," she smiles.
With the others gone, she glances at Lisyil. The half-elf has been quieter than last time the two had travelled together, though that was admittedly with a more raucous group than the caravan, even allowing for the eclectic make-up of their current companions. Perhaps she was missing communing with her mirror - for all her usual curiousity and vivacity, Ari knew that Lisyil also needed time to herself. "Go take some quiet time," she suggests in a quiet voice. "I'll be along to bed later.
After the half-elf thanks her and departs, Ari is left by herself. She too is glad of the quiet for a while and takes another sip of her ale. Tomorrow she'll need to be Aamina again. It's not a hardship in itself - the tiefling has worn the identity of the 'air genasi' for some years now and she's comfortable in character. But she is going to have to explain the situation to her new companions. She turns it over in her mind, trying to work out what she's going to say. Relax, it'll be fine. Trust to yourself and trust to the Lady of Mists to hide you. Her story straight in her head and her tankard finally empty, Ari rises to her feet. She looks over to the 'bar' - conversation still in full flow judging by the hum of chatter punctuated by louder laughter - before making her way to her tent. Lisyil is sleeping softly as she carefully makes her way in and it's not too long before Ari herself is also asleep.
Sasha smiles at Shaggar warmly. "Determined? I suppose so...When I know what I'm supposed to do it help. I need to get to the Silvermoon Glade. Something is wrong and I believe Selûne wants me to go there. At least, that's what I think from my dreams over the last several nights...I guess I am determined, even if it doesn't make much sense. Hah!" she says, her manner a bit forced, as if she's used to people not taking her dreams seriously. It is clear that she is committed, though, as she doesn't waiver from her obvious intentions.
At the bar, the gnoll considers Sasha’s words. ”Ah, then you didn’t see the notices in Baldur’s Gate or speak with the priests there? They have not heard from Silvermoon Glade in some time. They sent a priest recently to investigate but he is perhaps a few days ahead of us. We have been asked to get to the Glade to determine what is wrong, if anything. There are many guesses but no facts. At Friendly Arm, we may learn more before heading into the Wood of Sharp Teeth.”
"I didn't spend too long at Buldur's Gate - too much light at night for me - and I wasn't commissioned by the church there. But I did dream and I take those seriously - it sounds like we're headed the same way. What a coincidence!" responds Sasha happily. She smiles at Shaggar and seems encouraged by the good fortune, as if some fate had preordained it.
"I do not believe in coincidence. Kiley and I were told by the tribe's uh... seer of bad portents. So we came. I do not have meaningful dreams. It seems you do."
"It has it's costs..." says the Oracle, showing the first sign of discomfort in the conversation so far. "My eyesight is mine. I can see as well in the dark as anyone could ask, but I'm nearly blind in bright light. This can be hard, especially when most of the world functions in the day, not the night. I've been told it is a sign that I'm an 'oracle.' While I am still not exactly sure what that means, it is my burden and I bear it willingly in the name of my goddess."
"In the desert, we use sand..." He mimics something sitting across both eyes with a narrow slit to see from, "glasses or goggles because the glare is very bad at times. Could you use something like that?"
The next morning brings a somewhat unwelcome surprise: an unexpected dark cloud cover has rolled over the plains, promising rain throughout the day. The caravan's camp is quickly dismantled, Helga and her crew wanting to avoid rain being spilled across the entire unpacked camp.
Speaking of, she visits you before the group departs the village, her face showing a bit of concern. "I'm sure you heard the villagers talking about the goblin raids on travelers on the road. I'm not really worried about us being at threat of any small warband of the critters, but I want you to be alert anyway, should we encounter any trouble on the road."
"Any questions before we head out? This is the last day we'll have before we reach the Inn and split up."
”Nothing save my thanks for the kindness you have shown and the hospitality of your caravan. It is a debt between us.” He offers with a half bow, clawed hand to his chest.
Kiley looks up and wonders if the rain will hold off until they are under a roof. Probably not from the looks of things. When Helga stops by, she smiles and pats her sword.
"I think we can handle the goblins, so no need to worry there," she says before adding her own thanks to Shaggar's. "We have been blessed to meet all of you and your caravan. When next we meet, I hope that we can return the favor. Though, I don't suppose I have your permission to wheedle you husband for some advice on how to cook, do I?"
Sasha thinks about Shaggar's suggestion. "I'd give it a try, sure. I've never seen such a thing, but it honestly sounds perfect. Maybe we will find me someone who can do that someday..." she says as they finish their evening in the common room.
As most of the caravan looks upset, Sasha smiles broadly as she sees the overcast sky. She's smart enough not to talk about the weather, though, instead jumping into things and working to get the caravan moving.
"Well, hopefully we never need you to return the favor!" she answers to both Kiley and Shaggar, laughing loudly. "But we all know that not everything is fine and dandy during our trips, so I'll hold you to it if need be."
"Ah, of course. He had mentioned you 'badgering' him for cooking advice. I'll talk to him, make sure he gives you a good chunk of advice by the end of today." she says, smiling warmly at Kiley.
"Oh, surely my cooking isn't that bad," Kiley laughs along with Helga. She smiles at Helga, and bows her head.
"Thank you Misses Helga. You and your husband are very kind and we're lucky to have crossed paths with you."
"All good here," Ari replies to Helga. "And yes, thank you." With the mention of trouble on the road, reinforced by the dismal weather, she decides to wait before donning her disguise rather than wearing it all day as she had been planning. She does, however, decide to prime the group in advance. "Just to let you know," she says, "I've spent a couple of months working at the Friendly Arm recently. They know me there as Aamina so I'd appreciate it if you could try and use that name while we're there."
"I've often wondered what it would be like to be another person."
"It largely depends who that person is," Ari replies.
He barks a laugh, "No, I meant I cannot hide what I am. I would like to look like a muzz.. human to see what it is like to go unnoticed." He pats a pocket in the bandolier beneath his bisht. "Your authors can only tell me so much,"
"I think I can do that," Kiley says when Ari asks that she be called Aamina in town.
She looks up at Shaggar as Aria replies to his musing.
"In a way, we all know what it's like to be a different person. My poppa told me that we aren't the same as we were a day ago. We aren't the same people we were as children. I mean, could you say you were the same as the Shaggar that was a part of your tribe, before you joined the Bedine?"
Ari echoes Shaggar's laugh with a sharp outburst of her own that has little mirth in it. She tilts her head back in an exaggerated manner to draw attention to her skin tone and runs a hand dramatically through her equally striking hair. "I'll let you know when I find out," she says drily. "In my experience going unnoticed and looking human are two separate things and both require hard work and practice. I am pretty good at it though." She dimples up at the gnoll.
Abruptly her tone changes to something more serious. "I do take your point. As much as it's not easy for me, sure as Tyr's hammer it would be much harder for you." She looks Shaggar up and down carefully. "But not impossible. The Mistress of Illusions provides and there are things we could try. If you wanted, that is."
The gnoll's ears perk forward. "Yes, I would like to try this! I would thank the Mistress of Illusions if she makes this possible. We must finish our task in Silvermoon Glade first but then..."
"Ok!" Ari replies, caught up in Shaggar's excitement. "I'll have a think about some options. And I guess I'll have to let you in on some trade secrets too." She puffs out her cheeks - it's going to be a challenge but by magical means or misdirection she does believe that there are ways to disguise the gnoll so he blends in.
It's good to have something to focus her mind on, too. Much better to concentrate on a practical challenge than interrogate Kiley's comment about being a different or new person every day too deeply.
Sasha smiles at the (original) trio as they discuss disguises, but doesn't join the conversation. If anyone has noticed her disguise, they haven't mentioned it...