@JFCapps

Ro takes some time to speak to Cairon.  "Are the major powers of the realm united in our efforts.  For example, should we seek audience or aid would they be able and willing to provide?  More specifically, if I were to ask for the action and movement of military forces would my words be heard and my request considered?"  

Kerwyn says to Cairon, “Are there any artifacts that could help us track the mare?  As you can imagine, looking for hoof prints in a forest is like looking for a needle in a haystack.  If there was another way to find it.”

”As for the other, I was looking for some help with supplies for our long journey, food that will be good for the road, tack, rations etc.  I have a horse to help carry some of the supplies, and I was hoping that you might have some potions of healing in case we need them, for us or the mare.”  

Kerwyn awaits his reply, then walks away, calls out to his band.   “Aoe, Ralik, Shavaris, Johnathan.  Good to meet you all.  My name is Kerwyn.  Let’s come up with a plan of how we are going to tackle this problem.  We will find a way to locate that mare.”

Answering Rum, Yam shares her knowledge. She had never visited the great Deku tree, but living on the same continent, she at least knows where it is. "The quickest way to the great Deku tree, back to Hylia, would be through the sea, heading to the east. That is, unless they can provide us with any special means of transportation. However, I am not convinced that this is our best route. Even if we do find Blix there, that would mean we'll have to confront both him and Darkness at the same time. Moreover, if we just sit and wait there, and he's busy hunting the mare, we'll be achieving nothing. I think our best option would be to answer your question." Yam turns to Ro. "From my experience, it is not simple to make different forces work together, even at dire times. Unless this threat is great enough to overcome all disputes, we might need to do some convincing. However, if we can do that, and gain allies in doing so, we might make it that much harder on Blix. Perhaps we will even be able to force him into a corner where we could find him."

#First Band

Rum ponders a moment. “I also do not wish to face this Darkness. I merely think that intercepting the alicorn on it’s journey back to the Great Deku Tree is our best course of action, and to do that we have to get ahead of it, we cannot do it chasing from behind. And any help we try to find has to be ahead of it also”.

”This special form of transport is of interest, we should ask the herald if there are options open to us”.

@ The third band (Brevon,Jek, Losath, Chuba, Orin)

Atoh can't do anything but watch the heroes rapidly exchange opinions. Their knowledge and quick thinking amazes her.  Most words in their conversation are either unfamiliar or incomprehensible for a naibe nomad girl. But when she heard the word the Tower of the Elephant. Atoh speaks out without thinking." I, I may know the place! "  The loudness of her voice surprised the halfling girl herself. But she gathers up her courage and continues. " Khun… my people traveling around all the grasslands of Fantasia to graze Barometz, green sheep in your word. And when we passed the Shem Desert, my great grand uncle told me about the tower and the Mystics who live near there . So…What I want to say is that… I know the grassland like my own palm. And he knows the desert and location of the tower. If we combine our knowledge…" Atoh turns to Jek and says. "We can reach the tower with the fastest pace and minimum risks.  At least… I think so. "

Once Shavaris recovers from Aoe’s incredible production, she listens to the rest and all the back and forth talking between all the groups.  It almost becomes a din in the background as she tries and focuses on their agenda and where their band should go first.  As the groups start dividing more and get ready to leave, she quietly approaches Atreyu and asks, “Have you been to the swamps of sadness?  We are still debating on going there, if we do, do you have any suggestions?  What we might encounter or what areas to avoid?  Any information would be very helpful.  Thank you.” Once the conversation is over, she heads back to join her group and welcomes Kerwyn as he greets them.

Cairon looks over his shoulder, back at the doorway where an obviously disturbed Atreyu is standing, and then returns his gaze to the heroes before.  It's clear from his facial expression that there are questions being asked that he cannot answer in full, or simply doesn't know how to, or is not allowed to answer, whatever the case may be.  

"If you call upon the courts of the world for aid, they may be inclined to offer some, though I suspect that any one of them may also be hesitant for fears of sparking off building regional conflicts.  The courts haven't gone to war yet because they are afraid, and they are also wary to visit the death and destruction of war on their people, and their lands.  It may not seem like a wise decision, but it has been their decision to make.  Aid and advice will be easier to come by than military intervention, I am sure."

His attention then shifts to Kerwyn, and his brow softens as he nods.  

"This is reasonable.  If Atreyu can offer assistance here, we shall have provisions waiting for your bands in the stables, enough to get you going at least.  But, I do not know of any way to track the mare, and I hope that it is the case, because if she can be tracked with a magical artifact then Darkness will find a way to get his hands on it."

It was Atreyu's turn to nod, then he listened to Shavaris as she asked about the Swamps of Sadness.

"Yes, I've been there."  Atreyu says to her.  "You'll walk for days in mud up to your waist.  You'll be filthy, and wet, and cold, and miserable.  And then the sadness will set in, and the sadder you get, the deeper you'll sink, and then you'll sink below the surface and that...that'll be that.  You want my advice?  Don't go to the Swamp of Sadness."  

Seeing everyone's desire to get moving, Cairon steps back, away from the edge of the platform as if to intentionally distance himself, before raising his hands one last time.

"The Empress would extend her thanks to you all one more time, and would wish you good luck and swift journeys.  Keep AURYN near to you always, that it may guide you.  Farewell, heroes."

End, begin, all the same…

…Big change…

…Sometimes good. Sometimes bad.

The heroes gather together for one last time at the base of the Ivory Tower.  

They are amazed to see that they have been atop the tower all night.  The sun is rising, a sure sign that at the mare still lives, for now at least.  The nearby stables are rife with activity as stablehands go about their business of feeding the mounts, oiling saddles, shoveling stalls, brushing manes, and the general maintenance and upkeep of such an establishment.  The stables are huge.  There are dozens of barns, each with tens of stalls, most stalls housing something inside.  

A Kokiri who previously announced himself as to them as Peegbert is dragging a couple of chests of provisions to them.  Each chest is identical.  They have inside (3) potions of healing, a small bag of (100 gp) gold, and roughly two extra weeks of rations for each member of the parties.  There are a couple of tents, a hatchet, a few simple hunting knives, and materials for fixing bows and making arrows. 

"We've got you a couple of donkeys, too, with pack saddles.  You can carry extra stuff there."  Peegbert says as other Kokiris leads up the mentioned donkeys.  "We have a couple of mounts, too, that Cairon wanted me to mention.  There's a giant bat, for anyone that wants that stupid thing, and a warhorse named Hobble...which...has a hobble.  There's a couple of regular horses, a racing snail...oh by the goddesses, and that accursed Flail Snail someone left behind as an abandoned war mount.  Old Ironsides they call that bas...bad boy.  There's an ostrich too.  I'd be glad to have someone take them off my hands.  If you had been here just a few days before someone had abandoned a monoclonius, but it broke down the door and ran off into the country side just...whoosh!  It was so fast!  And ooh ooh!  There was that owlbear that halfling was riding but he never returned for either but then...well there was this curious wizard..."

He trailed off, obviously forgetting what he was saying, before propping his chin on his hand and then scuttling off toward one of the barns.    

Ralik runs to the ostrich and slows before approaching it. 

"You look deadly brother bird." he says with an outstretched hand in greeting. "Ha oh bird brother. Would you join me in my travels? We will have great adventures and tales to tell." He was not only addressing the ostrich, but the stable hand as well. "Would it be ok for this majestic being to join me?"

Peegbert opens the stable and lets Ralik in where the ostrich is. 

"Yes, yes, take him with you, by all means."  

The ostrich looks confused, like it can't believe it's being let out.  A saddle hangs in the corner.  The bird pecks at something shiny on Peegbert's clothes and the Kokiri slaps its beak away before leaving.

Greko watches the different bands and characters discussing who should take which mount decides to approach the bat. He rummages through his bag of druidic herbs, salves, and materials and pulls out a jar of bugs. He opens the jar and allows the bat to take a sniff and eat them if it wishes

Animal Handling: 20

Ro addresses Peegbert, "Our journey requires our band to travel to the east coast with due haste.  Could we take two horses and a cart if one is available?  Also, do you know if the east coast has a port that could fare us back to Hylia?  If not, then what would be your recommendation to cross the sea?  Mayhaps you have a mount capable of such?"

(I've copy/ pasted this post into Band 1's thread as well if you'd prefer to answer there DM).

Kerwyn approaches Peegbert and says “I am fascinated with the flail snail, how should I approach it?  Can I use it for a mount?”

He bends down and looks in the food bin, finds some large tasty appearing mushrooms, offers it to the flail snail.  “What is your name?  You look like an Erby.  Erby Escargeaux?”

Shavaris slowly approaches snail with some leaves.. whispering softly.  She tries to calm it..

(with advantage with the food, take first roll if not)

 animal handling  15

Chuba sees various heroes approach exotic mounts. Her stoic face does not betray her amusement. She approaches a stable of horses and looks for the healthiest horse that's perhaps been battle-tested.

Animal handling 15

When she selects one, she makes eye contact with the nearest handler and nods to the horse. "Name?" she asks as she offloads some of her supplies to the horse.

Jek runs over and looks at all the exotic animals. He sees the Flail Snail, and starts to run up to it to go pet it. But then the flails start moving about, and they look pretty dangerous. Maybe it isn't the best idea. And the other snail doesn't look as fun. 
Ohhh, the bat looks fun! Jek is ready to run and leap onto it, when he sees Greeko approach it. It seems to like him, so Jek won't jump on it. 
As Jek is wandering about the stables, he will ask Peegbert "What is a Monoclonius? Can I still ride it if I find it?"

As he talks, he's see's the old warhorse with a hurt leg, Hobble. "He looks strong, can I ride it? Or maybe someone bigger? Can I ride you Hobble?"

Jek trying to persuade hobble. Persuasion 20 Edit: If you wanted animal handling, that would be an 11. 

Johnathan looks upon the gathering crowd around the large bat. It is interesting how such a creature could even exist, let along be tamed. He sees Ralik grab the ostrich, a weird mount but it would do he supposes. Johnathan would rather not get involved with the bat. It wasn’t worth engaging all these strangers and arguing for a mount that was quite difficult to conceal. He turns to the donkeys in the stables. These would do, there was no point in having a fancy stead he thinks. I’ll have this one he calls to a stable boy. Have it ready when I return.

Animal check: 10

Johnathan figures where they were going, it wasn’t going to last long anyway. That’s how it always ends. He looks over to his band. How long will these ones last I wonder? The similarities between the stead’s fates and the parties were not to different. These happy and naive “heroes” don’t seem to understand the enemies they face. All I know is, there are gonna be alot less of us next time the bands meet. Johnathan stands to the side, watching as all the bands interact joyfully. He figures it’s best to leave them in their blind optimism, as it meant them going what is needed to be done. Johnathan figures he should stock up on the essentials. He turns to the other in his band, I’m just gonna get some drink in my flask, I’ll be back in a minute. Without even waiting for a response, he pulls up his hood and walks to a tavern to refill on the essentials. It’s seems to be the only thing that keeps him going at times.

A few minutes later he returns and awaits for the band to decide on their mounts

Peegbert looks at the horse, then looks back at Chuba.  

"We call that horse 'That Horse'." He says, then nods like he's said something prophetic and deep. He then turns his attention to Jek.  "The monoclonius?  She was pretty friendly.  You can have her if you find her.  As for Hobble..."

Peegbert opens the stall door so that Jek can see inside.  It was dark in the stall, so when the light floods in better, it's clear suddenly why Hobble is called Hobble...because Hobble only has three legs.  One of his front legs is missing, obviously carved off by a glaive or long sword in a battle who-knows-when.  

Jek goes in and looks at the horse, and it's scars. He pets it's side. Jek will pull out an apple (if he has one), and offers it to Hobble.  "You are still strong, right Hobble. Do you want me to call you Hobble? Do you want to come and help save the world with us? It will be fun! But if you want to stay, I understand." Turning to Peegbert, "Where did Hobble come from?"  

insight 11 on Hobble to see if can understand me, and if it's interested in leaving the stable. Animal handling would be -2, if you'd prefer that. 

Kerwyn approaches the flail snail to see if he will be accepted as a rider.  

Animal handling :  10  

Orin walks up to hobble and talks to him and pets his muzzle and mane. He tells him he’ll help him out with a brand new leg and eye if that’s ok. He then gets down to work on measuring and figuring and calculating. He finds a desk in the corner and starts asking folks for bits of metal and pulls out from his bag gears and cogs such. After an hour he comes back with two items wrapped in cloth. He presents them to Hobble for their approval. He then casts sleep on him and begins his work. 
After an hour and a half, with help from his teammates they get Hobble up to try out his new leg.