Remi considers Landee, “Oh really?  Do tell, what are some of the most interesting hikes that you’ve been on?  Where did they lead to?”

As they walk and talk, Gabin hangs back a bit, deep in though and looking at his hands as he turns them over and back again.

Tastie

She nods, knowingly, at Remi's words.  “Well I’ve had people tell me to take hikes a lot.  It’s odd though,” she muses, “they never tell me where to go - like a route that they’ve done before or anything!  I for one, appreciate your happiness at taking hikes!”

Landee replies to Remi, excited to be able to talk to someone about it, "Oh!  All over!  I don't typically go to the surrounding towns, just mainly around them.  But sometimes when I'm thirsty, I'll stop in and get a drink.  I don't think any of the towns really know me, at least it doesn't seem like it, because I mainly stick to the woods.  Sometimes I even take my tent and camp for the evening, I love it!"

He turns to Tastie, "We should go sometime!  I don't typically have a destination either, but hey, I always find my way back home."

They get to a place to camp for the night, figuring they had about half a day left to get back to Maerin.  As they settle in, Landee starts asking more about the group.  He starts with E'Lar, "You're sure a quiet one.  What's your story?"

Gabin, sitting by the fire, leans in, interested to hear more about E'lar. For all the group had been through, he felt there was a lot he didn't know about the others.

Elirion glances at E'lar, raises an eyebrow, then stands. "I need to rest" she says.

Arara flies to a nearby tree to keep watch over her as Elirion settles cross-legged on her bedroll a little away from the group, to meditate.

Remi settles down and begins to meditate as well, taking a part in elf watch.

E'lar ponders for a while, perhaps so long that some thought he didn't intend to respond, before shrugging. 

"I'm a Warden of the Wilds. I... I don't deal with other folks much. Kind of like how a knight might serve a lord or lady, and protect their interests, my order protects and preserves the wild places, taking care of nature itself. These creatures that had taken over the mine... that's the sort of thing I deal with... traveling to where there's issues and resolving them. Rooting out corruption before it can take hold and spread."

"Means I do a lot of hiking and camping too...", he says, with a wry grin.

"Funny, I happen to be on a similar path myself." Gabins sighs. "Though it's not what I was originally meant to be doing. How long have you been at it?"

"The last 85 years or so."

Landee listens to E'Lar intently and when he mentions hiking and camping he slaps his knee and exclaims, "Why, you, me and the tielfing should head out sometime, that'd be fun!"  realizing that he was pretty loud with his exclamation, he lowers his voice and asks Gabin, "What about you?  what do you mean not your original path?"

"I was born different." Gabin gestures to his golden irises. "I was chosen by Torm to be a divine protector of his people, but a year ago, when I was just 19, our temple was attacked and sacked by a necromancer. I was too weak, still in training, and I didn't stand a chance. I let the priests down, lost the battle before it even began, and ended up... tainted." Gabin hangs his head. "So needless to say, Torm cast me aside. There's no place by his side for those touched by darkness. So now I'm out here just doing the best I can, hoping I can still find a way to bring a bit of brightness to the world. I don't know... maybe it's pointless. I envy you your sense of purpose, E'lar"

Lanky doesn’t say much of anything, letting the others tell thier stories and hopes not to get picked.

Landee looks down at his hands as he doesn't know where else to look as Gabin tells his story.  "I'm, I'm sorry to hear that has happened to you.  You have definitely brought some brightness into the world after what you and your friends did back in Vermeillon." and a little quieter, "after saving me.  Thank you."

He then notices Lanky hanging back a bit while they were talking.  He was familiar with this situation at the bar, a person wanting to talk, but not really sure how to, so he reaches out to him.  Addressing the bugbear, "Um, you're the first bugbear I've ever met.  Are others as friendly as you and your race just has a bad name?"

“Ah um.  Some are friendly but others not so much.  Unfortunally many that are seen by people are the less fiendly type.  uh I don’t remember much about my tribe, asides terrible visions of them dying horribly…I moved from my tribe when I was young so it’s hazy. I ..I worked with humans to um help with my…er condition so I guess I got um…”friendly” as you put it.”

"You had anyone... Look at you?", E'lar asks Gabin.

"Well, I went to my father and the other surviving priests about it, but they told me what was done was done. I think it's just a part of me now. I try not to touch the darkness, but back in that cavern, I couldn't stop it. I felt it flow through me, and then I was invisible. What worries me is how easy it was." 

"I can... try...?"

"Oh, I uh... You'd do that? Alright."

"Come."

E'lar stands up and moves away from the fire, breathing easy as he feels for the natural conduits of magic... that large oak... the source of so much life... the rivulet that carries water farther along to where it joins a stream when it rains... the moss, a blanket over it all. Ah, yes. a small boulder, submerged in nature, yet protruding above it. That should do.

"Up. Stand. Tell me about the tainting darkness."

As Gabin speaks, E'lar will circle him, occasionally reaching out to prod him, or direct him to hold his arms out, or move in certain ways as he stands on the boulder.