Sandru chimes in from the doorway to the wagon, "Then I will set my men to fortifying the campsite. It will be up to the rest of you to explore the town seeking solutions for us here."
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Sandru drives the lead wagon as far forward as the terrain will allow, still about a mile or so short of the town, and seated on the ridgeline. His brow furrows in thought. "I think this is the closest we can bring the wagons, friends. Men, set up the camp here. Those of us who are going to seek for answers in Brinewall will have to proceed on foot... or horse," he adds to account for Duty. The drivers quickly bustle about to get set up, wagons in position, horse teams unhitched, and so on.
Meanwhile, Sandru drives the lead wagon along the track until it comes to a ridge line overlooking a river that he identifies as the Steam River. A bridge crosses once the track heads down the ridge slope, but here stands an old rock marker indicating a side track running along the top of the ridge as the road to Brinewall. The road appears to be long disused and has fallen into some disrepair and overgrowth, slowing the caravan's progress. "We are nearly there, friends. Come out of the wagons if you want to see the town as we approach."
Sandru, driving the lead wagon and having witnessed the initial exchange, chuckles to diffuse the tension. "Masamune, I am glad we are brothers for you would make for a very stern parent. Still, I hope Ameiko is alright. We are almost to Brinewall. Just ahead is Steam River and it should only be a mile or two along the banks to the town and castle."
His first attempt at a krenshar-killing blow is a failure, but Masamune's horse is swift and the krenshar is unable to get away and keep away for long. A moment or two is all it takes to put it down for good.
Having now witnessed the group's effectiveness in a fight directly, Sandru is satisfied with the caravan's security. "Ha, HA! Well done! Well done, my friends. Dangerous creatures will rue the day they attack this caravan and its stalwart defenders." He takes the effort, and one of the horse teams, to drag the carcasses a modest distance away so as not to attract too many more predators to the camp.
Sandru jumps down from the covered wagon, scimitar in hand, and barks orders to his drivers as he heads to help out Shalelu and Rawnie. "Bevelek, Vankor! Get behind those ones threatening our Harrowers and hem them in! Eugeni, protect Piper while he's playing! His men are quick to respond, taking up their weapons and jumping down from their wagons to start moving into position. Eugeni, being closest to action, gets into threatening distance from a krenshar (but has used his last action in doing so).
"I fear that a confrontation with the ogres is necessary. If they discover us, they will undoubtedly come to plunder the caravan over our dead, and possibly devoured, bodies. It would be better for us to initiate any fight with them on our own terms." "I do not want to risk the caravan's horses to the ogres if at all possible, so the wagons must stay back and away. I will keep them back until the way ahead is clear. I will leave it to the rest of you, my friends and family, to secure the road for us."
A ride of a few minutes time brings Masamune to the caravan. It is now about 3/4 of a mile from the site where he saw the ogres lunching on the aurochs. Driving the lead wagon, Sandru reins in his horses and hails Masamune. "I know that look, Masamune. What is the trouble?"
Alara nods and goes around the caravan, letting everyone know (discreetly) that the caravan was being scouted out by thieves. Sandru harrumphs at the news. "The influence of Riddleport, no doubt. It's the competition between gangs constantly trying to one-up each other by stealing each other's illicit goods. They will probably not do anything but we should keep a wary eye out for banditry over the next few days."
Over the next days, Sandru and his men busy themselves with preparing the caravan for departure. Supplies are purchased, horses cared for, wagons repaired. And soon all is in readiness. Sandru introduces you all to the 4 wagons that will be your mobile home for the next few weeks. There is one typical Varisian covered wagon, offering shelter to riders as the caravan is moving and at night. It can fit five travelers and one driver. There are two supply/cargo wagons. Each of these has room for two to ride (a driver and "shotgun") as well as plenty of supply/cargo capacity. And there is one small, colorful, covered wagon. Varisian caravans traditionally include a fortune teller or 'spiritual advisor' wagon. This one happens to be Koya's and she is nearly giddy with joy that she finally has one of her own and will be setting out on her grand journey. Aside from the driver (and Koya), the wagon could support one more occupant. Sandru will be driving the covered wagon while his men will drive the others. These drivers are two Varisian brothers - Bevelek and Vankor - and a second cousin (once removed) named Eugeni. Ameiko volunteers to cook and Shalelu volunteers to act as a scout. Sandru makes it clear that everyone will have to contribute to the safety of the caravan - particularly being alert to the threat of bandits and dangerous creatures - but also able to help setting or breaking down camp, getting wagons out of deep mud, or clearing debris from narrow tracks to allow the wagons to pass. And on the eve of setting out, this is the last chance people have to try to obtain equipment for several days travel. Food and water has been taken care of, but if you want anything that Sandpoint can provide (and you can afford) now is the time to get it.
As he sets about organizing the caravan and laying in supplies, Sandru tracks down his sister Rawnie. He asks for a reading of portents for the journey to Brinewall, but it isn't long before his sister sees through his pretense and he confesses his true reason for visiting. "I know you still blame Ameiko for Alder's death but it is not as simple as that. We all were captured, myself included, and he rescued me as surely as he rescued Ameiko. Am I not to blame as much as she is?"
"He sure does look like a crook though, doesn't he? That face of his is so rough and often he looks like someone who is trying to hard to earn your trust." Rawnie says with a grin. "But at least this brother of mine is no crook, I cannot say as much for another older brother of mine." "As utterly infuriating as Jubrayl is, try to have some sympathy, Rawnie. That wretched life would surely be ours too if it Mother Koya had not taken us in. He may think himself powerful and influential but I pity him instead. He is tied to his schemes, grasping at money, while I have the road and all of Varisia as my home. By that measure, I am the wealthier and happier man."
"I generally run a small caravan. I currently have three wagons ready - a covered one for passengers, an uncovered one for cargo and supplies, one for Mother Koya. I will drive one and my two drivers, Bevelek and Vankor, will handle the others. That leaves the five of you and Ameiko to ride on the covered wagon or on horse." he says, nodding at Masamune.
"I know I can count on you, Ash. But now we need to prepare! This will take a bit of time." And time it does take. Over the next several days, Sandru pushes people to make ready for a caravan trip to Brinewall. Ameiko bankrolls most of the supplies since it is an expedition to investigate some legacy of her family's. One night, while all sitting in the Rusty Dragon, Sandru pulls out a map. Much of Varisia is detailed on it (though not with quite as much detail or fancy art as the one I've posted above with the map links). He intends to run the caravan up much of the coast road and then upriver to Wolf's Ear and Ravenmoor, cutting through part of the forest to get back to the coast at Roderic's Cove. After that, it's rougher lands north.
"Do not worry, my brother, I am certain your healing gifts will prove useful on any substantial journey. Travel in the wilds is often dangerous. It may be an injury from a fall, it may be an attack by a wolf. There are any number of ways to injure yourself. We will have need of you before we reach home again, I can assure you." Sandru laughs at first, but then a more thoughtful expression crosses his face.
"Well, speak the Devil's name and he appears!" Sandru laughs as Masamune comes over. "It looks like my services as a caravan master are in high demand. But of course you cannot "catch a ride on it". You will need to work! The caravans I run are not so rich that I can just have passengers when they are able of body. Have no worries, Masamune. There will be duties enough for everybody." He does say, in a more serious tone of voice, "There is much to plan, though, and supplies to take on. That will take a few days and we do not want to cut the planning short. Taking a caravan into the wilderness lands near Brinewall is not a task to be taken lightly."
Sandru eyes Ameiko warily. "Are you sure you want to do this? After... you know what I mean." Ameiko grins sheepishly and shrugs in an exaggerated manner. Sandru turns his focus to Ash. "What say you about this, Little Brother? Are you as set in your mind as Ameiko?"
Sandru sighs at Ash's description. "Masamune has to make his own path, whether we are happy with that path or no. He does seem more driven than I have ever seen him before. I wonder where this journey will take him, spiritually-speaking, of course. Perhaps I should consult Mother Koya about him."
Sandru watches Masamune's retreating back with concern, then he turns to Ash and Sharrd, "Is there a problem, lads? Ameiko does not usually let people get under her skin like that, aside from her father, maybe. How did the exploration go?"
Meanwhile, in the common room of the Rusty Dragon... "...So," Sandru says to Aelbourne as he concludes his recount of Shalelu rescuing his horse from the goblin bandit, "it may have been the horse stepping on his head that killed the goblin, but if Shalelu had not crippled him with an arrow to the knee, I'm sure he would have done terrible injury to my horse." The sound of angry shouting comes from outside the inn.
"I am good with it as it offers me a life outside of Sandpoint, and away from Koya. Not that I don't care for her, but I cannot stand her sometimes. It is the curse of all family I must suppose. You have your brother to worry about, and I have two of my own to worry about." "Yes, going on adventures with your brothers can be a great responsibility." A pained expression briefly crosses his face at this remark. "I pray that you are more successful at it that I was."
"She lost a shoe returning from Riddleport a couple of days ago and I was unable to stop to repair it properly because of the urgency of our goods. Then it turns out I need not have hurried so because it was just another scheme by my brother Jubrayl to make quick gold." He spits on that last statement. "It is good to hear Sharrd doing well with his magic. The confidence will come in time as long as that remains true. But what about you? How do you find the adventure of a goblin-hunting life?"
Duty is well kept at the Goblin Squash Stables by Daviren Hosk and his stableboys. The stables themselves are decorated with goblin ears and, even more grisly, a large jar containing the pickled body of a goblin chief personally killed by Hosk. It is there that Masamune encounters Sandru Vhiski wrangling one of his own horses and in a foul mood. He catches the tail part of a conversation in which Daviren Hosk and Sandru are discussing care of a splitting hoof.
"Ah, Masamune. I should have known you would be coming by. I saw Duty and knew you must have returned to town. How did Sharrd do? I know Mother Koya worries about him so." |