Grugga allows the introductions to slide for now and heads straight into business, "Lieutenant Falstaff?" He says, interjecting himself into the conversation, "Could you tell us anything about some of the more aggressive beasts that live in the area, that we might be likely to see?"

Aubrey:

You depart your allies and then walk alone across the bridge into Umbridge. 

There is a crowd outside Kilkarney's House of Risk, and callers prowl the streets advertising the odds available for the various gladiatorial matches scheduled for tomorrow.

Reaching the townhouse, Malia and her Scourge escorts are gone.  Zemo is also out, and the house is quiet. You will have to prepare for your journey without the butler for now.  

Quote from Rockchewer >>

Grugga allows the introductions to slide for now and heads straight into business, "Lieutenant Falstaff?" He says, interjecting himself into the conversation, "Could you tell us anything about some of the more aggressive beasts that live in the area, that we might be likely to see?"

"Goblins, first and foremost.  It seems like all the contracts that come in from that direction all have to do with goblin exterminations.  Its shaping up to be a busy summer... I'm actually considering recruiting a team or two to focus exclusively on those hunts.  But its not very lucrative work and the burnout rate it awfully high...."

"Anyway, sticking to the roads, goblins are all that's likely to have the guts to come out and trouble you.  If you wind up going off-road chasing some ranger through the woods?  Bears, Wolves, Boars, Spiders, Lions... and that's just the animals.  The Empire does a good job of policing the Breitvasser Valley, but the closer you get to the mountains, the more likely you are to run into bandits or wild elves."

Aubrey is not particularly sorry over not being able to attend the gladiatorial matches at Kilkarney's House of Risk, figuring he will likely have his plate full of risk the coming days. He is at first a little lost without Zemo but after looking around the townhouse for a while he has everything he needs for his first fifield trip north and leaves for the rendezvous.

Guilim nods and shrugs as he is told he would have to get a stripe on his armor, frowning internally as he wonders if it would be a problem with the upkeep he usually did as part of his morning rituals. Old habits from his drills st uck with him. "Hopefully the paint will stay."

Once the introductions are dealt with, Leelan simply nods and smiles as the Lieutenant comments on his uniform.

At the mention of beasts, Leelan pays closer attention to Falstaff’s answer. 

"Goblins, you say? Crafty little buggers. Hopefully, they won’t pose to much of an issue to us or your other agents.", he comments. "Lions? In a forest? Forgive my surprise. I wouldn’t have imagined seeing large felines in this sort of environnement."

With that said, he will take a mental note of the Lieutenant’s answer to write it down later in his notes.

Once the party is ready to leave, Leelan would head back to Aubrey’s estate to prepare for the journey ahead. On his way back, he would stop to purchase some feed for his mule.

(I did just blow past introductions, didn't I...)

Guilim, Falstaff is intrigued by your Hook & Axe background.  "That's a good outfit.  A little too much of an 'old boys club' I hear.  But well equipped.  Well funded.  The Red Band and the Hook & Axe have been on opposing sides of a lot of armed conflicts over the last hundred years.  Once you've spent a little more time with the Band you'll have to let me know your thoughts on how things compare."  He also looks around his desk before eventually finding a business card in a drawer.  He hands it to you.  It reads, "Victor Braunshelf - Armor Meister" above an address in Steeltown.  "If painted armor chafes your sensibilities, look this guy up.  Once you've got some coin, anyway.  He does a lot of custom work for us.  He can coat the steel so it stays red... short of someone smacking you with an adamantine hammer, it won't chip or fleck.  It looks sharp," he adds with a wink.

Grugga, the lieutenant is fascinated to have a legit artificer in the ranks.  He proceeds to ask several borderline offensive questions about your spirituality. 11  If this bothers you, he quickly notices and changes the subject.  If it doesn't bother you... he continues until it does start to get on your nerves.  He eventually changes the subject, asking, "So how about weapons of war?  Have you built anything that can take down an ogre?  Or shoot a dragon out of the sky? Or are all of your inventions new farm implements or package sorters or card shufflers or things like that?"

Leelan, the subject of gnomes is completely alien to Falstaff.  He seems to find the idea that you come from a seldom seen people only faintly interesting.  But he does pepper you with some questions about the Northern Trade Federation.  He and another Red Band higher up have been making plans to go giant-hunting either this summer or next and he picks your brain for vacation destinations that would put them in decent inns and taverns but still within a few days of hill giant country.  Regarding your question on felines, "Its the cave lions.  Even if the mountains are a few days further to the west, everything west of the river and lake is on a steady uphill rise toward those distant peaks.  So even if it looks like a forest on the map... and I'm sure it is a forest... it is also ridges and valleys and hills and caves... and that's where the big cats den up.  Me, I'll take a bear or a lion any day.  Its almost always just one.  Not the wolves though.  You seldom see less than three wolves together, and the big packs can have more than a dozen."  It seems he would be content to talk beasts with you all evening, though he clearly approaches it from a "how hard is this to kill and how would it look mounted on my wall" vs your more scholarly interest.

Rohuzar nods and looks to the team to be sure there aren’t any questions before leaving

Grugga is initially pleased to have someone interested in Gel-Nagev, but he realizes the futility as the lieutenant continues to ask ridiculous questions about the "demon god". ((does he seem genuinely interested, or is he just being an ass? Insight 0)).

However, Grugga is happy to oblige the elf on the topic of technology. Sure, Grugga has historically mostly focused on automated tech that's made to improve the everyday labor of peasants, but he also has this. Grugga removes the frame off his back and then it's the lieutenant's turn to be subjected to an endless stream of explanation about his pet project - but most of the explanation is too advanced for anyone not familiar with tech or at the very least arcana in general.

He tries to give brief overviews of valence shell crystal captures, nodular matrix capacitors, and gyroscopic flux stabilizers, but it likely doesn't do any good. Still - the baseline is clear, once he finishes work on this it'll be a machine that can receive orders to move and attack from afar. And yes, with enough work and strong materials and testing it'll be able to take down an ogre... at least he's pretty sure. It's still in beta.

Quote from Rockchewer >>

Grugga is initially pleased to have someone interested in Gel-Nagev, but he realizes the futility as the lieutenant continues to ask ridiculous questions about the "demon god". ((does he seem genuinely interested, or is he just being an ass? Insight 0)).

 Grugga, he is a tough guy to get a read on.  At first you think he is genuinely fascinated but then his questions all steer toward the occult and superstition, and you become convinced he is mocking you.  But before you can even get upset, he drops the subject and moves on.

Leelan, your mule is ready and waiting at the stables.  As you pick (him/her? name?) up you see this is not just a stable, but also a riding field and polo grounds.  The mule is well groomed and they have tied a red bow to its tail.  Strangely, the staff seem sad to see the mule go, and you cannot help but get the impression it has had some off-camera adventures while stabled here overnight.  How much feed do you want to purchase?  It is 5cp per 10lb bale and each will feed the mule for a day.  The saddlepack is equipped with straps to hold as many as you like.  Depending on the terrain the mule may also be able to graze sometimes.

(If there are no more questions for Falstaff, we will resume when the rest of the group arrive at Aubrey's.)

Arcana for earlier: 10

Before leaving, Grugga says to Falstaff, "If you are interested in Gel-Nagev, I'd be happy to tell you more. He's a great and beneficent god, but he's nothing like you've heard here in the empire. Come with an open mind and I'll tell you all about him."

After that, he exits with his party and joins them on the way to the manor. "When should we leave? Should we get a few hours of walking in tonight, or should we leave in the morning? Whether we get it here or at a town along the way, we might want to buy some lanterns for the woods. Leelan, do you have any insights for dealing with the beasts of the forest that Falstaff mentioned. Rohuzar, Guilim, do you have any suggestions for traveling in roads filled with Scabs and bandits?"

Guilim nods and does his best to hide is displeasure at how expensive such a thing would be. He instead focuses back on what else is being said. "I can only say a bit. They don't like it when ex members say to much."

Leelan is pleasantly surprised at the good care that was given to his trusted mule. Pointing to her tail, he lets out a laugh.

 ‘’Look at that. A red bow tie. Now even Dandelion is truly a part of the Red Band.’’

The gnome will purchase five bale of feed. Hopefully, it will be enough for the whole expedition. If not, he can probably buy more in another town.

At Grugga’s question, Leelan thinks for a moment. ‘’Mmm…T’is difficult to say, while bears and boars are omnivorous, I believe they rather avoid contact with people. We should be safe as long as we don’t invade their space. It’s wolves, lions, and spiders I’m worried about. Those beasts have the instincts of a hunter. And we may have to deal with something larger than a cave fisher. We could also run into something entirely different.’’

Quote from DarthDrizzt >>

Guilim nods and does his best to hide is displeasure at how expensive such a thing would be. He instead focuses back on what else is being said. "I can only say a bit. They don't like it when ex members say to much."

" I respect that.  I'm thinking more along the lines of how our benefits and support network holds up against theirs.  I want to see future talent transfers coming in our direction, rather than flowing back to them."

***

Eventually the group departs from their meeting with Falstaff and makes their way to Aubrey's townhouse.  Soon, Leelan returns as well with Dandelion the pack mule.

Aubrey has prepared himself and the group has exchanged some thoughts about when to leave.  The sun had only just set.  It is about quarter of 8 in the evening.  Bardstown is well lit and the town is lively.  You're also painfully aware there are - according to the new client - at least two other groups pursuing this same contract.

Rohuzar shrugs at Grugga. 

“I think it’s best to keep your axe ready and your armor on. Best to be on our toes.” 

"Are we ready to leave?" Aubrey asks as everyone is back at the town house, clearly eager to get on the road. "Considering we are not only working against the clock but also against at least two other interested parties we should perhaps leave immediately to have a chance of collecting that reward."

"I'm ready when you all are." Grugga replies.

Eager to be on their way, the Heroes set forth from Aubrey's townhouse, back through the city.  Most of the weekly worship ceremonies will be held in the morning and tomorrow is also a significant gladiatorial event at the Little Prince, so the citizenry are out and about tonight, either getting their sins out of the way before the morning's contrition, or getting their pre-party going for the big sporting event.  Not to be distracted from their goal, the group reaches the main branch of the Breitvasser River.  

The river is too wide here for bridges, but barges pass back and forth at all hours, day and night.  Pedestrians willing to wait can hop a ride across for 1cp each (an additional 2cp for the mule).

The other bank of the river is home to a vast row of warehouses, stables and cheap inns.  The roads are packed with wagon trains, either unloading their cargo for transport into Bardstown, or waiting to be loaded for a return trip north or west into the mountains.  The main path through the warehouses eventually turns into the Midway Road.  This will carry you straight through the village of Midway, where the attack on the Rare Earth Materials agent occurred, and on to Northbridge, a larger town and the site of the main bridge across the northernmost branch of the Breitvasser.  Northbridge is the route west to the mountains, and north toward the distant border with the Northern Trade Federation.

As you leave the greater Bardstown metropolitan area, the roadside is aglow with campfires.  All manner of folk camp on the roadside near town; wagon trains waiting their turn to move into the city to unload; travelers such as yourselves who decided to stop for the night; small communities of poor folk, unable to secure lodging in the city.   Some of the campsites seem permanent, with outhouses, sheds and other structures.  Traffic is heavy at first as well, with both foot traffic and those on horseback or in carriages, though most of the travelers are heading in the other direction, towards the city.

After about an hour on the road, the campsites become rarer and rarer, until the only lights you pass are the Legion Towers.  All of the main roads near Bardstown, the River Road and the Great North Trail boast security towers every five miles.  While some are repurposed stone towers from days gone by, most are simple wooden structures, often with small bunkhouse at the base.  Two-man legionnaire teams call out greetings as you pass.  In a way it allows some sense for the passage of both time and distance as you work your way down the now lonely road in the dark.  It is a cool, cloudy night.  The chill following last night's storms has abated and the weather feels like it is turning back toward the unseasonable warmth from earlier in the week. 

The road is flanked mostly by farm fields, with patches of broken forest following creekbeds as they wind their way north to the lake.  Buzzing insects can be heard all about and once in a while something larger - a bat, most likely - swoops overhead.  Here and there, rutted tracks lead to the north or to the south.  In some cases, you can detect a faint glow through the trees where the track leads to a small settlement, but most lead only into darkness.

• How far do you plan to travel tonight?  It is now about 21:30-22:00, late on 12 May. If you continue without stopping to the Village of Midway you would expect to arrive before dawn... perhaps in another 5 or 6 hours.  If you press all the way to Northbridge, you would expect to arrive sometime around the middle of the day on 13 May.  You could also stop to camp along the way, look for an in at Midway, or any other option that occurs to you.
• What are Aubrey and Guilim, without darkvision, using to see?  A single torch lit by anyone would be enough for both of them (and the mule) to see.  If using torches, each would last 1 hour of travel.

(I believe someone purchased a lantern? If so, let me know and I’ll chip in.)

Rohuzar would press on to Northbridge, looking to supply (Rations) there before heading out. 

Grugga suggests that the group camp out somewhere safe tonight - maybe near a guard post - and visit the murder scene in Midway bright and early. Furthermore, he is of the belief that the group should retrace the agent's path, looking for any clues along the way.

(I suggested getting some lanterns, but never did. I assume there'll be a shop at Midway? DM said there'd be plenty of opportunities for gear along the way.)