The voyage had been challenging even for the most seasoned sky sailor. Leaving in the early winter and traveling west to hotter climes should have proven an easy passage but the journey seemed cursed from its beginnings. Your only solace during the treacherous crossing was the promise the Kingdom of Anjara held ahead. From the many stories told by your benefactor, S. E. Maitland, the mysterious masked figure who had paid for your passage had accompanied you and the hand-selected party traveling west. The only other person to whom the party had been introduced was Matiland’s private security, a monk of minimal conversation, Ardus Zydus. The monk, an air genasi who shadowed Maitland at all times, was stoic and commanded the elements. During the month-long journey, Maitland had wiled away the bumpy passage with stories that challenged belief. Still, the masked adventurer spoke with such knowledge and intense feeling you dare not question its truth.  

During the last week of the journey west, however, the masked adventure retreated to their cabin on the ship. They took no visitors from the party and only communicated with you through the aid of Zydus. The monk was not the friendliest host but nevertheless instructed the party to continue their studies of the maps, journals, and art Matiland themself had either composed, collected, or commissioned. The party spent the last night together dining with the other passengers in the mess hall. Left again on your own while Zydus and Maitland were in Matiland’s cabin. Seated around a large table, eating communally with other passengers making the journey to Anjara, the party left less like strangers and more like acquaintances with a preserved common goal. Journey to the supposed location of a lost tomb to recover whatever they could from its ruins, Maitland's call to adventure.

Yiin 

The almost fully covered with purple fur firbolg, despite the size of his body, sits effortless with his legs crossed on the chair and his hands resting on his knees. Meanwhile, a cup of tea floats in the air towards his mouth and when he drinks from it, it almost looks as if a small hand-shaped distortion of the air is moving the cup. 

When the cup returns floating and sits once again in the table, the firbolg smiles at the rest of the party before saying in a lower and calm voice:
"This trip was nice. Shame I didn't speak more with Zydus, he seems a good fellow but hard to interact with, like a rock"

The firbolg looks one by one to his partners of journey, with a welcoming and warm expression in his face.
"What do you expect from going to Anjara?"

Riwakan ("Riw")

An unusual colored Dragonborn sits beside the firbolg. His purples scales match almost comically perfectly with the firbolg's fur, maybe that's what made him choose the seat next to the giant-kin. The Dragonborn uses his shield as a makeshift tray, bringing with him only a piece of salted meat, some bread, and a flagon of watered wine.
"A lot of people think that words are not always necessary to communicate," he begins, his voice low and measured. "Even I, myself, prefer silence and loneliness sometimes. Can't blame Zydus for it."
He glances over at the firbolg, who sits next to him:
"Although Maitland looks like a nice person, I really hope we can roll up this case for them. I'm not too good in the investigation part, but I'm ready to protect any of us, whatever comes our way...Wine?" - he offers the flagon to Yiin.

Flintwick

An energetic Halfing sits with the other, occasionally rambling on about some ancient artifact or lost temple, how much of iti s true and how much of it is just Flinkwick filling in blanks is unkown. Occasionally little illusions pop up on the table as he tells his talls.

"I wish I had a chance to get some 1 and 1 time with Maitland, I would of loved to pick his brain about Archeology and what is burried out here"

He waves his hands around indicating thathe meant the vast land outside. 

"I am hoping to discover a lost artifact or ancient temple. What if we discovered an ancient civilization never before discovered, that would be so exciting"

Leela

As she listens to the conversation, the minotaur absently rubs at her right horn, fingernails scraping along the surface. From where she sits on the opposite side of the table, she glances over at Yiin in response to his comment. "Solitude is underrated by many. But I agree that it would be useful to talk with Zydus and Maitland so we know more of what to expect. More useful in my eyes than reading the journals, anyway. Maybe we will get the chance soon."

Leela picks up her bread and meat and takes a large bite. Finishing chewing, she continues, "Like you, Riw, I'm hoping we can help Maitland find whatever it is they want in this tomb quickly and without complications. And also like you, Flintwick, I'm keen to uncover a lost artifact, but one that has been lost only briefly." She brushes a hand over the amulet on its chain around her neck depicting Selune's symbol, and mutters a mostly inaudible prayer to the goddess asking for continued speed and safety in their journey. 

"Yiin, what is it you are hoping for on this expedition?"

"His journals, I almost forgot about those. I should get back to reading through those, they are interesting, well at least I find them interesting, all the stories, old discovers, maps, there is so much to digest, I wonder if we will let us keep a few of them, oh I wish he was around to ask"

Flintwick rambles through, barely pausing between thoughts, as if he is just saying the first thing that comes to his mind. As he finishes talking a pale blue hand opens a journal in front Flinkwick. As the book opens he snaps his fingers and a white quill appears and he begins coping a map of the Kingdom of Anjara in his book.

"I agree, their cartography skill is remarkable, their maps are pieces of art, I am amazed by them!" - says Riw, then eats a piece of meat and washes it down with the wine. He turns to Flintwick: "By the way Flintwick, it is impossible to make a decent copy without at least a ruler and a pair of compasses, I can lend you my set if you need it, I already made some copies, of course they are not on par with Maitland's work but good enough to study the area."

"If you have a decent copy already made that is perfect, so much better then my drawing I am doing here, you are right his drawings are a work of art and these journals, these journals oh I could read them all day, maybe I will focus more on coping important notes from here"

You see Flinkwick switch from attempting to draw the maps to flipping through and taking notes on what look important 

Leela thinks back on the stories Maitland has told the group earlier in the voyage. She considers whether they might be consciously leaving anything important out or fabricating some of the stories.  insight 22

Rather than reading through the journals again, Leela focuses on the maps and artwork, especially those which have relevance to temples and tombs.

Flintlock is looking for what within the journals, there are 3 journals exceeding in 200 pages a piece filled with sketches of artifacts, temple layouts, markets, and many sketches of Anjarains themselves. 

Leela is sure Maitland speaks earnestly about their findings and what they have discovered.  They further explain they've only ever been able to spirit very little out of the kingdom other than gold and precious stones. The Kingdom of Anjara does not permit their cultural items to be taken legally out of the Kingdom!

While she gains an overview of Anjara's social and physical geography, Leela is looking for information about Anjara temples that would hold valuable items that might tempt the thieves who took her temple's moonstone icon, so she can eventually track them down. She's also interested to find out if there are any worshippers of Selune here, as she is homesick for the sanctuary of her temple. 

[OOC] - would that be an Investigation check or Religion?

Quote from mattrfagan8 >>

"If you have a decent copy already made that is perfect, so much better then my drawing I am doing here, you are right his drawings are a work of art and these journals, these journals oh I could read them all day, maybe I will focus more on coping important notes from here"

You see Flinkwick switch from attempting to draw the maps to flipping through and taking notes on what look important 

"Well, to be honest, I feel I made a good work with the maps, but an opinion from somebody with greater skills, for example Maitland, would be great! I hope they can look at my maps before we disembark."

(OOC - 4 proficiency rolls for the maps: 7 5 9 18 )

Leela interest in temples would be a religion with advantage. 

Riw's skill is apparent when the party sees the map he's been reproducing. The only flaws being over the last week but the Stargazer, or Gazer for short, battled the roughest winds on the journey which made his pen less steady than before!

Riw can add 'a map of the Kingdom of Anjara ' to his possessions!

Leela scans over the documents, looking for information about temples, specifically those with treasures, as well as any mention of worship of Selune in Anjara - Religion 8

She sighs as she pauses in her reading, a faraway look in her large brown eyes, until her gaze passes over Riw's drawing and she claps her hands together almost involuntarily. "Riw, you've finished copying the map? It is an excellent likeness -- you are a skilled cartographer."

Leela doesn't see any mention of her goddess in Maitland's journals.  She knows it doesn't mean her goddess is or isn't in Anjara but simply that Maitland wasn't interested in recording that particular bit of history!

History: 13

Focusing his search on the artifacts mentioned in the journals. Paying attention to the details around them, description, details, abilities, curses, location, ert.

Leela turns her attention to more practical matters -- how to keep the group safe during the expedition. She flicks through the journals looking for descriptions about the sorts of hazards they might encounter: particular creatures found in Anjara that may pose a threat, groups that might be violently opposed to the foreign exploration of tombs etc.

Since she knows how important this information will be to more than just herself, she casts the Guidance cantrip to ensure she finds the right pages. 

[ooc I'm guessing this might be a survival check? If so: 8 plus 1 for Guidance. ]

Flintwick finds too many artifacts to keep track of, he'd have to copy the entirety of the journals which there are 600+ odd pages filled with those sorts of details and sketches. He does find a particularly troubling theme however with each passing page. Whoever removes an object from Anjara without the blessing of the people finds themselves under a terrible curse. A curse to slowly rot to death and be scattered to the sands of time which sent a chill down the halfling's spine!

............................................

Leela finds a couple of pages of the dangers of the desert. Like heatstroke and dying of thirst but the cleric can recall being assured of Maitland's supplies and established connections will be at their disposal once they get to the new capital city of Anjara's mages have raised from the sands named Me'at Halwa. Maitland's stories told aloud as well as written in the journals speak of the dangers of insects that are 'silent killers' and mostly the cults of the old ways of the previous rulers who were isolationists. Trade and tourism have only just opened to the west by the new regent of the kingdom whose rightful ruler is still too young to assume the throne. Together however the regent and future ruler were making radical changes to the Kingdom! Maitland told the party that the regent's husband, also an isolationist like their family before him, would be spinning in their tomb to know the kingdom was opened to the west by his third wife Kurru. The queen regent is a beautiful tawny-furred while her daughter the oldest living child of the former ruler was just thirteen, the princess Nefru-Nefru. Maitland reminded the party that in Me'at Halwa they'll be entirely safe but outside of the new city, everyone will meet them with either meet them with anger or fear. The environment and the beasts are the least of their worries! Well, to Maitland's sketches however Leela finds the minor and major sandwyrm as well as the sand hydra!

Quote from valeskah >>

"Riw, you've finished copying the map? It is an excellent likeness -- you are a skilled cartographer."

"Thank you very much, Leela," Riw chuckled. "This might be the first time I have received any recognition for my cartography skills. I hope my maps will be useful for our journey."

He paused for a moment before continuing, taking a sip from his wine, "Have you found in the journals what you were searching for?"

The frowned fur on her forehead smooths as Leela glances up from the journal.

"I have found some useful insights, yes. I do not find reading the easiest task, my education in the service of Selune notwithstanding. But I do understand people, and it seems we are visiting Anjara at a time of great change. We will need to take care to not give the inhabitants a distaste of outsiders, as there will be many who are no doubt unhappy with the recent changes made by the new Queen Regent to open the borders to trade and visitors. Our activities around sacred sites may exacerbate their discomfort and lead them to violence, which I would rather avoid, both for the good of our expedition and for the people whose land we are exploring."

She looks to the others. "How goes your research, Flintwick? And you, Yiin?"