Dorno nods at the Lady.  "Yes, it was smart of the Lady to have Dorno practice his letters first.  He makes good letters.  Dorno will take best care of Lady's favorite bag, too."  He leans in and whispers "Dorno sent you an acorn to make sure your bag works, too.  Shhhh."

"Ok Lady, thank you.  Dorno and friends go find special blood now!"  As he and Val leave Dorno says "ok nice big lady friend."  He stops and turns and waves to Lady Lelfaer and the others at Val's suggestion.  "Goodbye nicest Lady and friends!  Dorno keep friends and elves safe!" 

As they continue heading back to meet Thurston, Dorno seems to be thinking again, the expression on his face greatly exaggerated.  "Big lady, you are big.  In wild fey, big friends protect small friends.  Dorno is small in wild fey.  Here he is big.  Dorno learns new job is to be like his friends in wild fey and protect small ones.  Dorno was slow to learn with little loud one (Archie), but not again.  Many new friends are very small.  Oak Father tells Dorno to ask for help with new job from big friends.  Since you are big, will you help Dorno do good job?"  He pauses for a second and adds "don't be scared."  "Hugo and other friends will still protect Dorno and big lady, too.  They will come.  Always more friends if you are good.  Dorno tries to be good."

Valaith listens to Dorno as they walk together, not quite sure what point he was trying to get to at first, but she nodded and listened. She smiles and nods. "Of course, Dorno! We started this and now we must finish it. Even if it's just you and me, we'll get the nice Lady her blood. I think some of the others might need convincing, but I'm sure with this satchel, it won't take much. Plus, the people here are much nicer than in Sheercleft. The dwarves don't really like me that much..." She trails off and the smile returns. "You are always good, Dorno!"

"Ok good and thank you, big lady.  You are good friend.  Thunder man seems good too.  I think little funny man means good, but Dorno doesn't know what he says sometimes.  Magic man seems nice.  New man with cart seems scared, or sad.  Don't know.  Stranger outside comes too now?  He seems nice, wants to help people in the Sheercleft?  Peoples aren't nice in the Sheercleft?"

"You're a good friend too, Dorno. I like our people too, they are good folk." She laughs at his words revolving around Brundir. "He does like to talk a lot doesn't he? Jex is an odd one, I still don't know if I trust him entirely, but the folks here didn't seem to mind him. Yeah Hurrig is from Sheercleft, Brundir too actually. They don't like outsiders there, especially outsiders with giant blood. Like me."

Hurrig looks at the others "I get ya'. Ya promised 'em elves a job, and a job they'll get. Sheercleft 'as suffered great losses, but we are hearty folk. They should be alright to 'old off for a bit more, but we should try ta get back soon." He looks around a bit bewildered at a city in the trees. 

Jex stands, hands on his pack ready to get moving. He shuffles his feet a little kicking the dirt in arcs around him. He has the roll of weapons they intended to sell bundled at his feet but seems reluctant to make any moves to initiate a plan. 

Hoisting his belt a little, Bründir turns to Jex, "Ye mind seeing Dromdor about th' weapons an' armor we found out there? I'm sure he'd appreciate it. I'll take th' stones to Dorothy an' see if I can't haggle a good bargain."

At the merchant's store, Bründir is dissapointed to find the stones are nothing but bauble stones, worth more than a rock on the ground, but very common and mundane as gemstones go. Bidding Dorothy fairewell before pleasantries got a bit too pleasant, Bründir thinks idly about the ring in his pocket. He smiled at the thought of shooting arcane bolts like Vark, but decided it wasn't his style. However, his practice back at the bandit camp brought back a few considerations about his crossbow in the heat of combat. Making a side-trip, he stopped by Dromdor the smith and picked up a quiver of javelins. They may not be much for distance, but they can be a hell of a lot more effective with a shield.

A short while later the gathered party is back on the road and headed east towards the Hróna foothills. They travel for several hours, and the morning and most of the afternoon have passed when the time comes to leave the road and venture north.

(OOC - Feel free to post travel RP amongst yourselves and then I'll continue your journey.)

Hurrig finds a quiet place in the trees when the party pauses for a minute, he pulls out his symbol of Mordadin, an anvil on fire, and takes his Warhammer from his belt and lays it in front of him. You see him sit quietly bow his head. The symbol begins to glow with bright holy light, and the hammer starts to glow red hot, then both lights disappear.(Blessings of the Forge on my warhammer granting me +1 to Attack and Damage rolls)

As the group waits on Hurrig, Jex gets more restless, the nerves clearly get to him and he clears his throat to get the attention of everyone. 

"OK you win. I do apologise that if I am breaking etiquette here but we must address this issue even if it makes us uncomfortable."

He looks around at the sea of blank faces, and realisation dawns on him that the others have not even thought about the only thing that has occupied his mind the whole journey. 

" That disease. We were as close to those things as any of the elves. Anyone of us could have it and turn in the night and kill us all. Are we not going to protect ourselves from each other?" 

Valaith glances at Jex, the sudden realization washing over her and making her feel incredibly stupid for not reaching the same conclusion. "I... hadn't thought about that... Although, they've all turned by now it seems. I would think whatever happens would have already happened to us. ...Right?" There is no masking the bit of fear that edges into her voice as she realizes that she too could suddenly befall the affliction that had spread through the elven city. She glances to Thurston. "Thurston, you can feel the demonic energies in people, right? Check us all!"

Thurston looks at Jex and smiles

"Fear not! Thor hasn't told me that any of us has this dreadful disease. We are safe among ourselves. " he continues eating the fruit he is eating while they are getting the little rest. he is absolutely sure of what he has sensed thanks to Thor's blessings. 

( Just in case we all weren't together the last time he used searching for infected people at the village he will use his divine senses again ) 

Thurston's divine sense does indeed reveal the many tiny demons of the plague thriving within Jex's system. The remainder of the party is unaffected.

"Thor is also a god of secrets Thurston, holding information and using it to further his cause. You should be very sure he has revealed all. You must know the story of how he outwitted Thielfi to gain his talents in aid on the road?" 

Thurston laughs to Jex's words

"Hahaha indeed my friend, indeed! Thor's cunning to best his enemies is well known!! But he is honest and forthcoming with his allies and friends. Only keeping information if it is for their own good!!" he taps Jex's back, perhaps a little bit strong " No worries, we are fine!! But tell remind me this history! To the others hearing about Thor's accomplishments will be educational!!" 

( He tries to use 5 HP of healing to see if that helps when slaping Jex's back, using another use of divine sense after it. The traces are so faint that perahps... he will spent his inspiration for the next roll

Deception just in case: 20) 

Jex grins, his concerns forgotten for a moment as he strangely feels a warm healthy glow wash over him. 

"Thielfi was the fastest mortal to ever live. Such a servant would be of obvious value and Thor sought to have have him, being wise as he was, before another God took him for himself. He visited Thielfi and his sister on his goat pulled chariot and offered to make dinner in exchange for shelter for the night. Slaying his goats, as was his custom, he warned Thielfi that only the meat was for consumption, using his subtle suggestion to pique the boys curiosity. Thor made point of excusing himself after the meal, leaving the boy alone with the bones, knowing that he could not resist the sweet smell of the marrow within. When Thor returned and raised the goats, one had a limp as he suspected. Feigning rage, he rounded on the boy. Fearing the anger of the god of Thunder the boy pledged his servitude to Thor. And thus the wisest of the gods gained the service of the fleetest of foot messenger in the mortal realm."

"That's a good history!! You see friends! Thor is not always the stratigh forward brute people think he is! And he is with us!! For that I am confident that we could help the elves and the miners!!" he stands and shakes Jex's hand. 

"Thanks!! you are a good storyteller Jex the Storyteller!!  What people tend to forget about this history is that, next time Thor raised his goats he healed the limp of Tanngrisnir and he was ok. As we are!! Ready to continue friends?!" 

He walks over the others and start helping them with their stuff. When he is near Bründir he whispers to him

"We are not ok... we need to talk... " and then he turns quickly to Valaith and helps her recovering the rope that just falled from her backpack.

Jex smiles, visibly relaxing at the reassurance. 

"You are wise indeed, and kind Thurston. I am glad to count you among my allies."

Thurston's sudden shift took the dwarf off-guard, "Eh...yeah, sure. I'll get provisions from th' inn." While the others gather themselves at Jex's wagon, Bründir secures food for the party of 7 and even extras in case they come across others.

(Ok, so: a barrel with 27 gallons of mead(54gp), 10 days of rations (35gp), an extra 10 days worth of rations for any extras we pick up (5gp), 3 2-person tents (6gp), and 50ft of hempen rope (1gp). Total: 101gp)

Dorno enjoys all of the sights, sounds and smells of the woods as they travel, sometimes on foot and sometimes even in cougar form.  The rest of the time he rides along happily in the wagon, busy weaving more basket like shapes out of various natural materials.  He wears his new mask much of the time but does lift it to the top of his head as needed to see exactly what he is doing.  Eventually during a break Dorno emerges from the back of the wagon wearing his new woven armor.  "Dorno is ready for trouble now.  He make shirt like shiny thunder man wears.  Its not shiny, but like forest instead, like Dorno."