OOC: Merek will offer all he has, 5gp.

" Alright, we have our slave animals.  Does anyone need to make anymore preparations?  I admit to being unsure about this course but now that we have set up on it I'd rather not delay."

Randa looked at each of her companions in turn. " Ready?"

Most of her recent travels had been with Riven and with his sudden departure she felt a little discombobulated...

Vazo'yn steps forward with their gathered gold in a pouch and extends it out to Tulk with an appreciative nod of his head.

"Thank you for your help, Tulk. It won't be forgotten. Hopefully one day, once our task is done, we will be back this way and I'll tell you about how your help changed the world."

It perhaps sounds like a lofty, self-important vow, but it is said earnestly with complete honesty and certainty that what they are setting off to do will be world-changing.

Tulk collects his coin from both the Fellowship and Ayo, then pulls in Brod to put in a good word for you and ask for the favor he offered previously. After a bit of back and forth, it is agreed upon to give you nearly the at-cost discount offered to the close-knit men and women of trade in Jigow. You and Ayo are each owners of your very own sturdy, if not glamorous wagon.

Tulk jams two fingers into his mouth and whistles hard enough to ring your ears. The Fellowship hears thunder in the distance. No, not actual thunder, but very nearly. Instead, it is a thunderous galloping owned by a horse that is heard long before they are seen. Breaking the nearby hillside is a towering horse of deep chestnut brown with black feathering socks and a white mouth. While it is not the tallest horse some of you have ever seen, it is still quite tall at 6 ft at the shoulder, and wide, with a girth that would make it suitable as a mount for a goliath.

As the mighty beast comes to a trot and stops at the gate, it looks at the Fellowship with curious dark eyes. “This is Rumble. He is one of my best. From a line of draft horses that only very recently were of warhorse stock. My great grandfather rescued some from the Dwendalian Empire’s many wars and gave them a peaceful life. If your questing takes you through danger, you will want Rumble here. He doesn’t scare, is smart as a whip, and can quite easily pull you out of whatever trouble you end up getting yourself into. His is a gentle breed now that his family isn’t made to war, but he will get a bit ornery if you don’t give him what he likes, which is stories. I hope you have many to share because tales of adventure are his favorites.”

Rumble looks to each of the Fellowship, nodding his head slightly as if in agreement. “I’ll show you how to adjust the wagon harness to fit him. Rumble’s a bit wide in the chest, you see. Normal harnesses don’t fit.” Rumble’s response is to hold his head high at the unintentional praise.

“And for you,” Tulk says to Ayo. “My finest mules! Hee and Haw.” Two mules break from the herd and meander over to the edge of the gate, eyes closed against the sun. “They are jokesters and might tease you a bit, but they are good mules and will work hard for you if you spoil them once in a while with apples and carrots and such.”

Hee haws at the comment, demanding an apple at the mention of it. Haw hangs his head, passively waiting for reward.

Both parties are fitted with their mounts and the day is theirs.

Ylis lets out a wuff of awe. Rumble is so so impressive! Bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands she immediately begins to fawn over the beast and gets busy with the stories and enhancements.  

"Hi! I'm Ylis, you and I are going to be great friends!

Once upon a time, there was a bunny named Barnaby Buttercup. Barnaby Buttercup was a bunny with an insatiable appetite and an even more insatiable curiosity, had heard whispers of the legendary Purple Carrot. It was said to be the sweetest, most colorful root vegetable in the entire meadow, capable of granting wishes to those brave enough to find it. Driven by a desire for a carrot that would outdo all others, Barnaby packed a dewdrop canteen and a single, perfectly ripe dandelion, and set off on his grand quest. His journey took him through fields of clover, over babbling brooks, and past old oak trees that offered cryptic advice.

The path was not without its challenges. A grumpy badger guarded an important bridge, demanding a riddle be solved, and a mischievous flock of jays attempted to steal his dandelion snack. But Barnaby, with his quick wit and even quicker feet, navigated each obstacle. He finally arrived at a hidden glade bathed in an twinkling twilight, where, nestled amongst glowing moonflowers, lay a carrot of the deepest, most magnificent purple he had ever seen. It pulsed with a gentle light, promising a flavor that would be truly magical."

Similar design but green/blue in color.

Joy watches Ylis get introduced to Rumble with a warm smile, fighting back tears at how adorable it is. She will get to work loading the wagons with any heavy gear that the others might need assistance with. Once that is done, she begins flipping through her newly acquired book absentmindedly, looking for an appropriate prayer to bless the start of this new journey.

"Ah, here we go," she says after a while, clearing her throat, "Dawnfather, bringer of the first light, we set our feet upon a road unknown. As the sun rises without fail, may our courage rise with it. Let your light fall upon our path and scatter the shadows that would lead us astray. Grant us strength when we falter, kindness when we meet strangers, and hope that endures even in the darkest night. May each new dawn remind us that endings are never the end, but the beginning of something greater."

DM: Inspiration for Ylis and Joy for delightfully fun reads and giving me something to bounce off of.

Entropy marches over to Joy and gives a curt nod of approval. “It is well that you take moments like this to reaffirm your faith. We should all seek to emulate you in this.” Entropy takes a knee by Joy and the wagon and utters a prayer. “May our blades spill the blood of the wicked. May we dance among the still whimpering dying of those who serve evil.”

Then she stands, stiff as wood, offers another brief nod, and moves over to her wagon to assist Maggie in loading. Dermot watches her go and shares a look with Joy, mouth hanging open like a barn door. “She’s also new,” he says after swinging his mouth shut. “Think she’ll take some getting used to, but she broke an orc’s arm during an arm wrestling match, and he was twice her size! Ayo thought she would be good to have on our team.”

Irvan is just sobering up, a major problem, in his estimation, that he immediately remedies with a trip to the market. He carries a crate upon his return. “I am bringing the party with us!”

Rumble listens intently, his ears tracking Ylis' every word. He watches everyone with thoughtful eyes and tries to move very little, so as to not disturb Ylis' braiding. Ayo laughs a big belly laugh. She is in good spirits despite having to borrow some coin to buy her mules. She serves them apple halves, which she pulls apart herself before gifting Hee and Haw each half. They munch enthusiastically and bay with delight at the generosity of their new owner. Ayo is all hope and dreams, as the young often are. She is about to start the adventure she had always hoped to go on, and she gets to do it alongside seasoned heroes. Grateful does not begin to describe the emotions on her face. Excited, ecstatic, nervous, brave, inadequate, just to name a few.

Galsariad sits in his wagon, his contributions being his silence and staying out of the way of the laborers. He pours over a textbook on arcane theory, his brow pinched in intense focus as he tunes out the noise around him.

Before long, the party is loaded up with their provisions. Each wagon can fit everyone on each party, with room for one coachman each. Ayo takes the reins of Hee and Haw.

DM: Who will handle the reins of the mighty (and now very fashionable) Rumble? 

OOC: Does it require proficiency?