Rohuzar sighs, watching the strange interaction with Leelan and the elf from just a short ways off. 

”Guillim… I should not have said that to Grugga. He is member of team.” He sighs again, deeper and with some self-criticism implied. “I say something later.” 

Halland rises from his makeshift bed in the hay and repositions the bird to his left shoulder.  Despite the size and weight of the bird, the elf moves with a gentle grace which allows the bird to sit and ride along comfortably without being disturbed as the elf moves and gathers his things.  It turns to look at everyone in the barn with its large orange eyes.  One might almost get the impression of haughtiness or pomp from the owl… observing the peasants in the fields as it rides off on its humanoid stagecoach.  “I need to be off.  Many miles ahead of today and time waits for no man or bird.  So nice to speak with you.  And it is nice to see the Red Band hires scholars as well as fighters and thieves.”

After Rohuzar backs away from him, Grugga lets the silence sit in the air awkwardly for a moment, then, with red cheeks, he turns to Aubrey, "It's not like that.... I just need to make sure Zip recognizes your spiritual energy so he follows orders from the right person..."

"ahem... we should rejoin the others and move on. I think he'll be useful tracking down the rangers." Grugga packs Zip back up into his pouch and meets up with the others. "Well, are we ready to move on? The map the lieutenant gave us shows that we can reach the southern border of Maggie's Woods fairly quickly, but the courier and her guide were certainly at the northern border, which is near Shelley. We also need to stop at a village near the woods and ask about the 'treats' they were leaving behind. If we go to Shelley, the criminals are a short detour, if this map is right, but then we need to carry their heads around, so maybe that's not a great idea."

"Yes, I believe you Grugga, but there is much superstition about both giving up your own blood and what your kind is up to. I'm afraid you will have to get used to this. Thank you for letting me share the control of Zip, I will only use it if it seemed like you could not." Aubrey says, smiling to the artificer. 

Aubrey then nods and follows Grugga to the others in the barn, listening to Grugga's suggestion and waiting for Rohuzar to decide their course.

"Indeed. A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Thank you for satisfying the curiosity of an old academician. I wish you safe travels and good luck in your mission.", Leelan says as Halland leaves.

As he’s about to rejoin the group, he notices that they are joining him in the barn. "Ah, hello there. What new intrepid and extraordinary endeavours will we undertake today?"

Rohuzar sees everyone is gathered. 

“I think to stay on task. The bounty may still be there on trip back.” 

Deciding to keep their focus on the larger mission in front of them, the group decides to ignore the bounty on the thieving brother, for now at least.

Setting out from the little stable behind the Last Resort with Dandelion in tow, they follow the last leg of the Midway Road deeper into town.  They soon emerge at the Plaza of Giants, a vast square near the center of Northbridge.  From here, three roads depart.  The Midway Road which travels eastward back to Bardstown and from there branches off to Fidelis and Valar.  The River Road departs southward, passing the border into Pentwater and following the great Breitvasser River all the way down to the sea and the ruins of old Amnifortis.  And the Great North Trail which passes north to Shelley, rising into the hills and forests that lay beyond; to the border with the Northern Trade Federation and on into the mountainous, frozen lands further north.  The plaza itself is full of merchants and wagons, setting up for the day's commerce.  Ropes connect to wooden posts, keeping the roads clear so traffic can move with getting logjammed in the square.  A stone obelisk, 30 feet high, rises in the center of the plaza.  Silver glyphs are set into all four sides near the top spelling out a message in old Imperial.

Old Imperial:

 History DC 14:

Taking the Great North Trail, the group proceeds on the next leg of their journey.  Northbridge saw a population explosion when the refugees fleeing the Breach settled in the region.  While Bardstown's growth was carefully planned, with zoned communities and clear delineation between the different districts, Northbridge shows the signs of punctuated and unplanned growth.  As you travel from the center of town northward, the community is arranged haphazardly.  Each major intersection boasts what looks like a miniature downtown with shops, smithys and bakeries, before thinning out into near countryside... and then another intersection brings another cluster of buildings and shops.  They are too close together to be considered different villages, but too separated to feel like a cohesive community.  While you pass a handful of Legion watchtowers, the Imperial Legion presence is also a noticeable difference from Bardstown.  Gone are the standing armies and guards, trainees and Legion barracks.  Instead the local nobles guard provide security, and many more of the locals can be seen wearing daggers and shortswords on their belts for personal protection.

After a half hour of walking north, the town finally begins to recede into the background.  Before you stretch miles upon miles of farms, fields, and small patches of forest.  The land is hilly and slopes to the east toward the lake.  Unlike the fields of grain surrounding Bardstown, the crops here are varied.  On the hill tops you pass vineyards and apiaries.  In the lowlands where streams and brooks zig through the land, peasants farm blackberries, or raise cranberries in purposefully flooded fields.  Hawks, crows and vultures can be seen in the morning sky and you pass a small group of quail along the road, most likely domesticated as they do not flee as you pass.

Traffic is light this morning and for the moment you are the only ones on your stretch of country road.  And you have come to a crossroad.

(What will it be?  Will you continue north to Shelley on the main road or veer to the west now and make for the forest called Maggies Wood?)

History: 10

Grugga seems pleased on this new day. A good rest seems to have done him good, and he's back to his usual self, blathering on about his work and inventions and magic and blah blah blah. He does, however, strike up a conversation with Leelan at one point. "So, Leelan," He starts, "I can't remember what you said a few days ago. Do you know much about hags?"

At the crossroads, Grugga defers to Rohuzar's judgement, but suggests that going to Shelley and around the forest would be faster and safer than cutting through the forest, since their only lead on the ranger hideout is that the ranger and the courier ended up somewhere on the north side of the forest.

Rohuzar 

history 9 

He nods at Grggua’s advice. “Good plan. Ve go to Shelley.” 

“I have to apologize,” Rohuzar says slowly annunciating each word to make sure it’s clear through his accent. “I vas perhaps still tired when you talked about Zip. You are team member.. I should trust team member vith life, but not vith this? It vas wrong. Here:” he pricks his thumb and offers the bleeding bit to Grugga. “For your Zip.” 

Aubrey history regarding forest: 3
Aubrey history regarding glyphs: 15 
At the plaza Aubrey will interpret the silver glyphs to anyone interested.

Aubrey just nods as Rohuzar decides they should head for Shelley. "I'm not sure if it will be helpful to our current mission but the Goldentide mansion is situated not far from Shelley." Aubrey mentions as they walk north from the crossroads.

 Aubrey:

 Leelan:

 The group sticks to the main road, making all haste for the town of Shelley, a major port on the western shore of the Great Lake and also home to Citizen Aubrey's ancestral lands.  Rested and fed, you make good time, though after walking all day it is near sunset as you approach the town.  Having traveled this route many times (though never by walking), Aubrey begins to recognize more and more of the small farms and shrines along the roadside and knows you are getting close.

40

 A half hour's walk out from town, you come upon a shepherd, guiding his flock in the same direction, toward Shelley.  After walking all day your energy is beginning to lag and you fall in with the man and his sheep.  He is a young human and he shares a bit of his backstory while you walk.  His name is Trevar Greenson.  His scholarship application to the Collegium Ars Weavus in Bardstown has been accepted.  He is taking his flock to Shelley so he can sell them to pay for the travel, books, room and board.

Soon you see the buildings and torchlit streets of Shelley.

 It is a modest town, much smaller of footprint than Northbridge, but much denser also.  The main docks sit on the lakeshore at the mouth of a small, slow-moving river called Silverwraith Drain.  Another, smaller set of docks exists on the northern edge of town.  Here the land rises up to create short cliffs that look out over the water.  Though not visible from where you stand on the southern approach to town, the Goldentide's manor sits on these cliffs.

There can be no doubt, however, that this town belongs to the family that bears it name.  From seemingly every building and signpost hang the flags and colors of house Shelley; a silver, winged turtle on a blue field of waves.  Their keep dominates a set of small hills just inland from the docks.

It is sunset and once again you are all tired from marching, though not yet to the point of exhaustion.

Grugga looks like he's about to say something but instead he silently takes Zip out of his bag, activates its reception mode, and accepts Rohuzar's blood. Then, he lifts Zip to the sky and chants "O Great Gel-Nagev, a new sheep has joined your flock." But he can't keep his face straight and busts into a deep laugh half way through. Still laughing, he says, "I'm just kidding, cousin. No need for apology. Zip just needs to be able to identify the spiritual energy of anyone giving him orders. Go ahead and give it a try." He lets Zip fly around a bit and anyone who wants to control it can if they've given Zip a taste of humanoid blood. Whenever he sees anyone coming down the road, though he'll put it away to avoid any superstitious reactions. "I think it'll come in handy in the woods. It can scout ahead and it it gets destroyed," he shrugs, "I'll just remake it."

When they come across Trevar, Grugga congratulates him on his acceptance to the college, "What will you be studying there?" he asks in genuine curiosity. When the conversation naturally allows for a segue, Grugga also asks him what he knows about Maggie's Woods, especially if he knows anything about 1) "dropping treats", and 2) the rangers and their hideout.

Aubrey is not as comfortable with returning to Shelley as he would hoped to, feeling he still have some miles to walk as a mercenary in the Red Band before presenting himself to his father again. He does enjoy the local scenery though as it always have given him a sense of serenity. Aubrey chuckles at Gruggas joke with Rohuzar and he also takes a polite interest in Trevar and his plans. "Yes, any information that would help us find the carcimon would be much appreciated." Aubrey chimes in, flashing his Goldentide signet ring.
Persuasion if needed to get information: 24 rolled with advantage expecting help from Grugga, otherwise go with first role.

Trevar is proud to show off some simple cantrips, casting light to illuminate the end of his walking stick.  “According to the family stories, our great grandfather was a new student at one of the great colleges in Amnifortis.  He had to flee with everyone else when the monsters came, and never went back to school, settling here at the family farm.  But he passed on a few simple spells which we have kept in the family.  I plan to follow through on his dream and become a great wizard,” he adds, proudly.

”I don’t know anything about any rangers, I’m afraid.  But I’ve heard a bit about Maggie’s Wood.  They say it’s a magic place, full of spirits.  The folk that live there, they’re supposed to know certain tricks and spells to make the spirits leave them be.  According to the stories, strangers who venture deep into the wood don’t come back.  Others say it isn’t spirits but beasts.  They say it’s full of wolves and bears and other things that prey upon the common folk.”

Along the walk, talk also turns to Ars Dinodont.  Among the five of you, you piece together a bit of common knowledge.  A spur of mountains juts out in the direction of the lake, and halfway up the last lonely mountain is Ars Dinodont.  Once a dwarven ruin, it was repurposed into a fortress in the early years of Vigor I’s reign.  With the threat of the Tsaurians to the northwest, this was to be a fall back point from which the empire could project force into the mountains and control the lowlands near the lake.  However, once the great slave rebellion destroyed the Tsaurians ability to continue offensives deep into imperial territory it no longer had a purpose and the expensive repairs were discontinued.  From time to time it is occupied by imperial forces, mostly to keep out squatters.

As you enter the town of Shelley you get a look at the harbor in the last days of the sun before it disappears behind the mountains.  There is a strange looking ship docked here.  It almost looks like a building on the water, rectangular and with three stories.  On the side of the ship is a large water wheel, like what you might see at a mill.

Grugga:

As the strange ship comes into view Aubrey studies it with interest for a few moments before turning to Grugga. "One of yours?" He asks with a wide smile.

As the road arcs back toward the lake, Grugga grows more and more distracted by the great body of water, but he still stays mostly engaged and active in the conversation. Once they arrive in town, he waves goodbye to Greenson and wishes him well in his studies. Probably like the rest of his group, his attention is immediately seized by the unique silhouette of the Voyager. "Yeah," he says with a chuckle, "That's Konrad Frumpf. I assume we're stopping here for the night? We should go see him, he's a hoot!"

"Well I'd be belighted to Grugga. An artificer like yourself then I presume?" Aubrey answers, trying to think of a place in Shelley suitable for the night. "Please tell me about this Konrad Frumpf. What business would he have in these parts?"
History if needed: 11

History: 13   

During the walk towards Shelley, as Grugga questions Leelan about hags, the gnome starts leafing through his manuscript. When he finds the section, he begins paraphrasing the content.

"Right then. I’ve not had the fortune, or the misfortune maybe, of encountering a hag in the field, so this is entirely based on research.", he says as he readjusts his glasses. "There are various species of hags. Green hags, for instance, are particularly horrid. The stories tell of old-looking women hiding under the guise of sooth-sayers or apothecaries. They take delight in causing suffering and despair among commoners. They also seem to enjoy kidnapping children. As a matter of fact, some of my collegues believed that the superstitions regarding women practicing magic comes from the dark schemes of this evil creatures.’’ Turns the page. ‘’Red hags, on the other hand, don’t seem to share the cruel disposition of their cousin as much. Most accounts of this kind of hags seems to stem from the stories of one individual safeguarding the Wrothwood forest with a circle of druids. And of course, there are the sea hags, lest we forget about our escapade under the docks of Bardstown. Hideous creatures that live near water sources and despise all things beautiful.’’ He closes the book and looks at Grugga. ‘’Whilst these are stories, I’ve come to learn that even the wildest tales are born from a modicum of truth.’’

When they arrive in Shelley, Leelan wishes good luck to Trevar as they head their seperate ways. ‘’An interesting design for a ship. Who would this Konrad Frumpf fellow be per chance?’’

Guilim stays quiet and focuses on what they are doing, keeping his thoughts to himself even though he does nod that Rohuzar was in the wrong with Grugga. He offers his own blood as well but is still wary of the creation until he sees what it can do.