T'laren will provide clean water if some is available for him to drink, otherwise uncorking and handing him a bottle of his own wine.

T'laren would have walked the grounds with him, checking the buildings for lingering orcs, and giving him whatever space or assistance he wanted with the remains of his farmhands (and cow).

When he brings down the mithril mail, T'laren gives a low whistle in appreciation. "A fine gift, both from the nobles and you offering it now... but unless I judge my fellows wrongly, I don't think it's anything we'd be likely to put to use, and would just be selling it for coin when we find a buyer. If it's getting sold, might as well be you doing the selling, and put the coin towards whatever getting back on your feet looks like."

While he was a bit dismissive of Droknin handing out gold for guards, he respects the tough farmer, and his story of his livelihood and home being overrun by outsiders resonates with the dour elf. It may not register for the newer members of the party, but Droknin may note it being a bit out of character for T'laren.

"Not directly, Phandelin is hurting for supplies, traders keep getting hit by orcs, so dealing with them here is the first part of a larger job. What direction did they come in when the came in force? Thought they might have a base in Conyberry... or that might have been a place to look for you if we didn't find you here. They've hit a number of wagons at different places, Barkas has 'em mapped, but figuring out where they are striking out of gives us a target."

The old lawman turned farmer thinks on T'laren's question.  "When they first came, the small raiding party, it was from the South, and to the South they retreated.  Later..." he pauses, thinking hard.  "When they returned, in force, they came from both the South, and from the West, along the Triboar Trail.  So, from them the direction of Conyberry, yes.  At least some of them."

"My condolences on the loss of your farmhands and Bernice," Aranea says, as they all return to the farmhouse. The orcs had well and truly ravaged the place, not even sparing the poor cow. Aranea shook her head in disgust. These raiders were despicable, and she wouldn't hesitate to end the rest of them.

When Kalazorn presents the mithral chain to them, Aranea touches it gently, admiring its beauty. Alas, she knows such heavy armor would encumber her movements too much and so she agrees with T'laren's assessment. "Yes, if this will allow you to start rebuilding, sell it. You need it more than we do."

She listens with interest to T'laren's conversation with Kalazorn. It seems that Conyberry is confirmed as at least one of the orc camps. Hopefully they would be able to take out a large number of them to prevent further attacks.

((T'laren is the only one who could wear it of the party, and it would give him an AC 16, which he already has via studded leather and +4 Dex.))

"T'laren is correct that this is a mighty gift." Droknin shrugs slightly to the Elf, for the Leonin has never seen such material. "We shall clear the region of the Orc menace, and also that White Dragon, and you can rebuild your form good sir." Turning to the others. "I heard the fellow mention Conyberry, is that where we are headed next?" Droknin kind of eyes Barkas.

Barkas nods as he looks at Droknin, spreading out his map on the table for all to review.  He scratches his beard and fingers a few sore spots as he considers it, and thinks of the words spoken.  “Aye, makes sense.  Let’s head there next, see if we can be careful in our approach (eyes quickly dart back up to Droknin), and prevent future attacks on travelers.  D’ya mind if we rest up here for an hour or so?  I need to put a few bandages and poutices on, those fellers whacked me but good with their axes, it smarts a good bit.” 

Barkas asks for a short rest before proceeding…

It is just past sunset.  Does the party want to short rest and then travel back toward Conyberry at night?  Or take a long rest and travel there in the morning?

(I am fine taking a long rest.)

"Do we want to come on them at night? If we're to attack in the night, we need to be able to get there unnoticed, and orcs can see as well as you or I in the dark.", he says to Barkas before turning to the others. "Droknin, you move well, but between your size and the coloration of your fur, do you'd be able to move unseen? And Aranea, if we're to move on them tonight, we can't risk lights to give us away... perhaps if you follow close to Droknin you'd be able to make it through the undergrowth? If we don't think we can, any advantage of hitting them at night will be lost, and we'd be better off going in the morning. Perhaps that gives us a chance to hit the camp while some of their number are out on patrols?"

"I do not need light to see in the dark," says Aranea mysteriously. She doesn't elaborate further unless questioned. "We may have the advantage of surprise in the dark, and our movements may be more easily hidden."

((OOC: Aranea has the Devil's Sight Eldritch Invocation which allows her to see normally up to 120 ft in both non-magical and magical darkness.))

"Ah... well, that changes things a bit."

((I'd peeped her sheet, so I knew that, but T'laren would assume she's as inept as every other human!))

While the party takes a short rest, Kalazorn makes a few final preparations with the many Human and Orc remains on the property before retiring for the night.  

"Come the dawn, I'll burn the Orcs and bury my farmhands, and then make west for Triboar.  I'll be sure to tell everyone out that direction to watch the roads, and about your selfless actions and saving my life and routing these raiders.  If you're ever out in Triboar, look me up.  I still owe you one."

As the party gets ready to depart, he packs up some of his belongings before settling in for the night.

[The party may all take a short rest.  If any hit dice are rolled, post the results here.]

How does the party plan to approach Conyberry?

((No dice rolled, regain action surge and second wind.))

T'laren quietly works on some arrows while they rest. When Kalazorn returns, "Do you know how far into the woods Conyberry is? We could follow what's left of the trail, but more likely that they have guards watching that. Cutting through the woods may mean we're less likely spotted, but could miss the remnants of the village and wander off course."

“It’s built right along the trail.  And it’s been abandoned for decades, so other than a few shelters that are maintained in the ruins along the road, the forest has reclaimed much of it.  A skilled ranger would have no trouble finding it in the dark, but a layperson might walk right past it in the forest and never know it was there.”

T'laren scratches his neck. "I'm comfortable enough in the forest, but I'm a craftsman by trade, not a ranger as such."

Barkas rests and spends 2 hit die to recover 18 points of healing, returning him back to full health.  “I can become Barkpanther again and sneak up on ‘em.  I can see in the dark just fine, and my trusty star map leads me right every time.  Eventually.  It has its own way and own time!  Hah!”  Barkas smiles and starts looking around the house for any ale as he is feeling more like himself again.  

Aranea rests with her eyes closed, meditating quietly. She is only vaguely aware of the others speaking. At the mention of something called Barkpanther, her eyes pop open, and she glances at Barkas with curiosity.

"Barkpanther?" she asks, amused.

(She uses 1 hit die and regains 4 HP).

Barkas holds his hands up as claws and goes “Roaarrrrrrr!” and gives Aranea a smile, then looks to T’laren and Droknin and points his head at Aranea.  “Tell her.  All sneaky like and black furred and muscular like, scarin those hobgobbos after we escaped… tell er!”  He holds his hands up again and makes clawing, scratching motions, nodding and winking at Droknin, the true master of such fighting style.

"A truly fearsome beast, none of the cuddly charm of our Barkas.", T'laren remarks somberly.

"Indeed. Obviously, not as big of a cat like o' Droknin here, but very good for scouting, and avoiding detection by the enemy." Droknin shows his paw to Barkas, and lets out some of his claws, and gives his signature smile with a wink. When everyone is ready to leave, Droknin has already his stuff packed.