As Caine reaches for the door to leave his room, he jumps when something slams into the window. He whirls around, rapier already drawn but not seeing anything he relaxes and walks over to the window.

"Still way quieter than the Endshift," Caine says to himself while he sheaths the rapier.

He pushes it open and looks outside and then down into the bushes below.

When Razi wakes (either on his own or with a courtesy knock as requested) he rises from bed, stretches and then dons his leathers, clothes and gear.  He departs as early as possible from the inn (thanking them for the wakeup call if appropriate) and heads to the marketplace.  He will linger there in the early morning, taking in the smells and sounds of the city one last time as he waits for the stalls and shops to open.  He would be interested in purchasing clothing, cold weather, fishing tackle, bedroll, blanket, and a mess kit.  That would come to 12gp, 7sp at basic prices.  Razi currently only possesses 9gp, 2sp.

"Good morn," Razi says to a shopkeep, noting the items he would like to purchase.  "I am departing for the roads this day and had a few supplies I would like to provision myself with.  Perhaps you were aware of the foreigners who had camped outside the gates recently?  My friends and I were able to convince them to agree to move on last night, at the request of Lady Morwen.  We were thankfully able to avoid any violence but we did learn a bit about why they had camped here.  Their lands, it seems, are prey to a terrible curse.  My allies and I have agreed to accompany those strangers and seek to remove the curse and save their people and their lord.  While none of that is of your concern, perhaps you have it in your spirit to contribute a bit toward a noble cause?  I have 8gp and can also offer a spare dagger as barter.  Can we make a deal?"  Persuasion 10

If that won't work, Razi will offer a second spare dagger to sweeten the pot (he had 3 to start, though one is a reminder from his days as a soldier and he would not part with that one).  If necessary he will add, "If helping support a noble quest isn't within your business plan, then perhaps you can spare a bit of goodwill at least for removing those campers from outside the gates?"

Last, if all else fails and he cannot strike a deal for the goods above, he will remove the  clothing, cold weather  and add a healer's kit instead.  That should bring the total at basic prices down to 7gp, 7sp.

Not seeing anything from his room in the bushes, Caine goes down to the main room and then around to the side of the inn beneath his room and looks through the bushes for whatever might have hit his window. A rock? A bird?

"I only have rations for 1 day, buying another day's worth might not be a bad idea. How much for a day's worth of rations?"

"I seem to be bothering you, some other time. "

starts looking for Caine

Caine looks down at the ashes in his hands, looks around to see if someone's playing a prank and then decides this seems to fit the travelers and the stories they told. He shudders a moment then goes to find the others.

"South along the trade way until dusk," Caine says to himself. "What if we're slow walkers? Or fast?"

Having woken from a fitful sleep, Nelyna leaves her inn in search of her new companions. Along the way she decides to stop at the market and buy some supplies for the journey. She decides to purchase four rations (1 day), a healer's kit, and a tent, two-person. She smiles sweetly at the shopkeeper.

"Is there any way I can persuade you into giving me a bit of a discount? I'll give you 7 gold." ((It's 9GP total otherwise.))

Persuasion - 0

Investigation: 15

Razi notices Nelyna back at the merchants stall.  "Ah.  This is one of my companions right here.  It seems they are flocking to you even without my guidance.  Nelyna, this good sir saw fit to offer me an excellent price for my gear and I am sure he can do the same for you."  (Hoping to help with the persuasion?)

He smiles his broad, slightly manic smile.  "Oh, and good morn to you.  Have we heard from our friends with the pigeon yet?"

(Did we earn anything from the gambling?)

When Jim realises that no one is left at the inn, he decides he had better go find everyone else. He begins to search the town for any sign of where they might have gone.

(Investigation: 17)

"I have not seen any pigeons yet Master Razi, I was looking for Master Caine, maybe he has seen something."

(Caine actually gave the old man his platinum piece back - he didn't feel right taking from an old guy missing teeth, and he would also have given the party back their coins too since they were all working together).

Caine finishes brushing the ash off his hands and nods a greeting at Jim.

"Pigeons here are a lot different from the ones I'm used to in Waterdeep," Caine says with a laugh. "This one was paper that burst into flame after I read it."

As he steps out of the bushes, he lets Jim know the gist of the message.

"Pretty much we head south on the old Trade Way until we run into mist," Caine says. "A bit melodramatic, I think."

After a pause and a look around them.

"Now, what do you say we go find the others and figure out what's really going on. A lord with some sort of instability sounds like an opportunity to come home with full pouches. Full wagons even."

Caine will then walk with Jim to meet with the others and get started on their journey.

FYI RE RATIONS:

Jim nods to Caine as he stands inside of a bush. However, he quickly moves onto the market. He assumes that Caine must be enacting some sort of plan and decides it is not a good idea to draw attention to another rogue.

He joins Sleet, Nelyna and Razi by the tent. However, Jim does not acknowledge any of them. He is aware that his pocket is a little light even after the cards of chance from the previous night. Whilst the young man is distracted by the others, Jim makes an attempt at stealing something that is on display.

(Sleight of Hand: 22)