The words of her athletic wizardly colleague have touched off a train of thought in Spira's mind.  She taps her long forefinger against her temple, considering.  Then she turns to Rash, but with a slight hesitation before she begins to speak..  "Rash ... you were meaning to be back before the wedding, weren't you?  I do seem to get a little -- antsy -- these days when my feet are still too long.  Guess I've been hopelessly transformed into a ***** by all the time wandering with my vagabond brother."  She gives Gaer a playful ... but very gentle ... elbow before continuing.  "And if your tribe's lands do lie in any other direction, I wouldn't mind having a bit more time to calm down from my silliness before there's too much likelihood of running into Bemon again.  I do at least owe him an explanation, and it's easier to talk when one isn't babbling over with anxiety."

"On the other hand, we are just back from a somewhat more strenuous journey than we expected, and a rest would be nice too while I wait for Darvin ...  oh, I don't know.  It all depends if you all want more companions or not, of course, and if you think my company might be helpful on the way.  You know that route best, of course, and what sort of needs it imposes on travelers."

========================

(OOC: and also, of course, on whether this trip is intended from a meta perspective to reunite the party; or to give Rash, Roxana et. al. their moment in the sun ... )

"Are you trying to ask if you can come along?" Rash says with a smile. "The answer is yes, I'm more than happy to have a bit of company and extra security while we're on the road. We should be back in plenty of time for the wedding."

[[ OOC: @OisinmacCameron: From a meta perspective, Aidwyn wanted to reunite the party by trying to get everyone involved in Rash's expedition... but this is not 'mandatory'; that's just what Aidwyn was trying to do... If anyone prefers not to accompany Rash, that's obviously fine too ]]

(OOC - Roxana is certainly willing to travel with the group. But isn't necessarily clamoring to go. She'd be easily convinced I guess is what I'm saying.) 

Regarding the prospect of traveling with Rash, Dawnborn speaks up: "Aidwyn and I will accompany you, Rash. But I hope we won't be the only ones..." her solid-gold eyes meet, one by one, those of everyone else "We've done wonderful things together... why not travel together this time too? We'll all be back in time for Martha's wedding! And we'll help one of us - all for one, one for all, right? We don't want to force anyone, obviously, but we would greatly miss those who decide not to participate... We would like you all to be with us..."

Gaer seems a little surprised by the ex-prisoner's new and calmer ways. A new name... A new attitude... She really seems like a new person. The tiefling ranger didn't seem too eager to leave Longsaddle either; but after hearing Dawnborn's words he seeks Roxana's hand and gaze: "What do you think? Maybe Rash will really be safer if we all go with him... And then, now that my sister is used to wandering with a vagabond, why make her lose this healthy habit? Who would she complain about, if not?"

Gently nudging the Sergeant of Arvandor back, Gaer tells her: "You have always been the wiser of the two of us, sister of mine, so I certainly don't pretend to advise you. But I will point out that if Darvin needs a few days... then probably you might have time to take part in this expedition, if you like, because for the return journey, we could use Zentromya and her teleportation powers. If they worked from Waterdeep, they will work from the Bloodskull tribe's camp too, I suppose. You will be here in time to welcome your newfound love!"

"It's true, Gaer!" the she-hollyphant confirms "It's just like the other trip... I can't teleport you on the way there, because I haven't seen our destination yet, but I can definitely teleport you on the way back! Maybe on two different days, since there will be a lot of us - but we can definitely keep Spira in the group I'll teleport on the first day".

"Mom is indeed very wise" declares Aedion, proudly "and will certainly decide for the best".

Spira laughs again.  "With so many votes of confidence, how could I possibly disappoint everyone?  I'm in!"

Roxana first nods to Gaer, quietly telling him, "We should go."  Then raising her voice to address all. "I will certainly accompany you all. We could use something to do for a day or two!"

"And I promise I'll be a less heavy-handed 'big sister' on the trip.," Spira solemnly assures Roxana with her hand across her heart, before dissolving into one of her full-body laughs and winking.  "Won't have as much time for it soon, anyway, so we might as well view this as practice."

It looks like Rash's journey to his tribe is turning into a new group adventure. Time continues to pass pleasantly at the 'Fuzzy Quarterstaff'... and the half-orc wizard has ample time to reflect on the journey.

Rash intends to retrace the route that led him to Longsaddle... That is, travel the Long Road north, in the direction of Mirabar. But well before Mirabar, you'll leave the road, to head towards Grunwald, the barbaric village of the Uthgardt Thunderbeast tribe on the borders of the Lurkwood. Then you'll be crossing a short stretch of the Lurkwood and heading straight north into the middle of the wilderness, up to the first mountains of the colossal range of The Spine of The World. It is on one of these mountains that the Boodskull tribe is found. Barring complications, it should be a trip of about 5 days.

Since Balfby cannot exist in the presence of sunlight, Aidwyn will probably be thinking of a way to protect her during the day... Perhaps by buying or renting a chariot - the big predator may be a little cramped, but the night will be in company and maybe even hunt in the wilderness...

Gaer tells everyone of his increased powers of communion with nature... thanks to which he can now make a single berry nutritious enough to sustain a person for an entire day... so during the journey food should not represent a problem.

For when does Rash like to organize the departure? The same day? The day after? He can decide freely, because the prison guards are ready to hand over Kunnari (the prisoner) to him whenever he wants; they know that he has the task of leading the criminal to his 'sad destiny of slavery'...

But above all, before leaving the 'Fuzzy Quarterstaff', does Rash intend to go and find Colin Dreekan to talk to him about the 'fish gods'? And if so, do any of the others want to accompany Rash when he goes to the good-natured middle-aged wizard?

(does Spira want to go along with Rash when he talks to Colin and get the chance to talk herself even yet still more? ... umm, do the fish-gods want magic items? LOL ...)

(besides, she probably considers it her responsibility in any case)

I think Rash would prefer to start the journey the following day. In the meantime, Rash will leave it up to Spira and Aidwyn whether or not to go see Colin.

Spira posted that she comes with... I wait a bit to see if Culuril or Frandal post, then I go on and narrate what happens.

[[ OOC: OK, it looks like only Rash (with Anita) and Spira (with Aedion) will go to see Colin... ]]

The Wrestling Wizard and the Sergeant of Arvandor this time are directed to the room that was given as accommodation to the middle-aged man; apparently he has just finished learning yet another brilliant arcane secret of Harpell and is enjoying a moment of reflection or rest.

When you knock, the man's well-known voice has a note of curiosity in asking who is looking for him... but hearing that it is you, he comes to open the door and lets you come inside the humble small room, while a smile accentuates his usual expression lines.

The benevolent diviner, who is wearing a red tunic with large rune-trimmed sleeves, points to Rash, Anita and Spira (Aedion is still hidden on his mom for now) his meek brown eyes and asks: "Look at how many famous and valiant heroes are coming to visit me today! Oh, wonderful... Do you need some divination? Or maybe has someone" he winks at the ex-Zhentarim "prepared a magic pie for me?"

Rash can't help but chuckle at the mention of 'magic pie.' Anita's really going to need to learn how to make paranormal pastries if she's going to build a reputation for them...

"Actually, Spira has a question for you... something about fish-gods," the half-orc says. "Apparently she had a strange encounter with one of their servants... but I should probably let her tell you about it since she's the one who was actually there."

After catching up with the rest of her friends Aidwyn, which had blushed during the retale of the battle against the giant crab and tried to rest importance to her participation on it, tells the others. 

"I do think that I will be better look for something to brig Balfy along this time. I will go now to look for it, so we do have everything ready for tomorrow's departure. I am so happy that we all come along... " with that, and after giving some hugs to all Aidwyn and Dawnborn go to look for a cart to rent so they can transport the hound during the daylight.  

"It was while we were on the road to Waterdeep.," the Sergeant of Arvandor begins her reminiscence, responding to Rash 's prompt.. 

"We were just about to make camp beside a little pond when I saw something that concerned me out by a little point of land... a disturbance of the water, I think.  I went with Aedion to see what it might be and this gigantic lobster creature bursts out of the water and rushes past us to attack Aidwyn!  She and Dawnborn fought it to a standstill, but it came back the next morning and demanded the shield Aidwyn was carrying, the one Lady Martha gave her, because it said the "fish-gods" had commanded it to collect all magic for them!"

"It was rather a stupid creature, and Aidwyn was able to fool it into going away; but I've been wondering ever since.  Do you know what in Faerun the thing might have been talking about with its 'fish-gods'?"

Colin's fishgodness: 5

"A gigantic lobster..." Colin reflects "But intelligent enough to be interested in the shield, as a magical object... And that obeys 'fish-gods'..."

"Oh, wonderful. I really don't know what..." The good-natured diviner initially seems perplexed, but then, as if suddenly remembering some remote information, he raises his index finger "Unless... In the course of my life I have had news of powerful amphibious creatures, older than the gods themselves. They lurked in primordial oceans and underground lakes before the coming of the gods. They reached out with their minds and seized control of the burgeoning life-forms of the mortal realm. Their dominance made them like gods. Then the true gods appeared, smashing their empire. It is said that they have never forgotten and that they still plot to overthrow the true gods and regaining control of the world. Aboleths, they are called".

"The Aboleths come to mind" the middle-aged wizard explains "because I remembered now that in the course of their 'domination', they created big crustacean servants, to carry out tasks in the surface world, a world in which Aboleths are not at all comfortable - and one of these tasks I seem to remember was the collection of magical items... Perhaps, the monster you encountered is one of those specimens, descended from one of the Aboleths' creations... And this would also explain why it regards them as 'gods'... If they created it..."

"Anyway, who is this 'Aedion'?" Colin asks, intrigued (in fact, he still knows nothing about Spira's new 'son').

"I am Aedion!" the baby-couatl leaps out in flight, excited both by the story and by the fact that the other wants to meet him "Hello magic men... Are there two of you? Ah, no, you're a single magic man, but transformed! It's the first time that I see someone like you! I can see things as they are, you know... Nice to meet you, by the way!"

The good-natured diviner's face is suddenly distorted by strong emotions. Surprise. It's clear that he didn't at all expect Aedion to be... what he is. Terror. As if he suddenly felt threatened. Anger. As if he suddenly sees you as enemies. You had never seen that ruthless determination to kill in those usually so mild brown eyes!

While you are still surprised by the sudden turn of events, Colin raises a hand and, as he utters arcane syllables, the air begins to crackle as a faint smell of ozone spreads... but he stops.

"No... " he scrutinizes you with an astute and calculating look that, once again, is completely unlike the man you knew "Because of you, I will have to anticipate my departure, that's true... But you, unlike Kylth, at least have not intentionally done harm to me. Plus, killing you as I did him, would be useless... perhaps even counterproductive - because you... you have the seed of greatness within you. Maybe you will need me in the future. And then maybe we can make profitable deals for everyone" he quickly collects his notes, his spellbook, putting all under one arm. "To do business with me, you'll know who to try to contact..." he smiles mischievously "...just tear my fake last name apart and put it back together in the right way".

After which, having uttered a last short formula, Mr. 'Dreekan' disappears... leaving you in his own abandoned room just as soon as you recover from your astonishment.

"I don't understand, mom" Aedion is really perplexed. "Why did the transformed magic man get angry and leave? It's not my fault, is it?"

"I don't understand anything about what just happened," Anita admits "except that Colin toyed with the idea of killing us for a moment, but then thought better of it - and I'm happy about that anyway!"

Rash pauses for a moment...

"I... I think I know who he is..." Rash says nervously in reply to Anita. "Ardjena told us that one powerful prisoner defeated Kylth and freed himself from the dungeon... a being named 'Ekandre.' It seems that our friend Colin was actually an Arcanaloth the whole time. I can't help but wonder why he wanted to take Ardjena as his apprentice, though, considering the fact that she was one of those who tried to imprison him."

(Side note: I know that Rash wasn't in the room when Ekandre the Arcanaloth was mentioned, but I think it's reasonable to assume that someone else filled him in on that stuff later).

[[ OOC: Yes, I'd say it is reasonable that Rash, later, has been told about Ekandre the Arcanaloth ]]

"If Colin was really Ekandre..." Anita shudders at Rash's hypothesis "perhaps he had offered to take Ardjena as his apprentice, planning for her to then have an 'accident' - which is already not unusual for Harpell apprentices... except that Ardjena's one would perhaps have proven lethal. It wouldn't have been the first time for him to deceive others with good manners... do you remember how he convinced us to sell him Kylth's secrets 'to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands'?"