Adventure in Dan-thurás

Lethira builds Mia’s question, her attention still on Joe as she moves with quiet purpose. “You’ve already given us one,” she says, easy and even. “The woman leading them.” As she speaks, she adjusts the fit of her black scale mail, tightening a strap at her shoulder with practiced ease; the dark plates catching the light revealing faint, flowing lines that follow the shape of a current. “People tend to be the part that doesn’t change.” She shifts her pack slightly, settling its weight, then draws her mace without fanfare. The metal is worn smooth where it’s been handled most, marked with the same quiet pattern, and she sets it at her side where her hand will find it without looking. Her gaze moves once toward the road, then back to Joe. “Beyond them,” she continues, “what does the road look like?” She pauses, before continuing. “Open ground? Trees? Places where it narrows?” She finishes a small adjustment at her wrist, her tone unchanged. “Where would you attempt an ambush, if you were planning to?”

Quote from Naiya_Varma >>

Lethira builds Mia’s question, her attention still on Joe as she moves with quiet purpose. “You’ve already given us one,” she says, easy and even. “The woman leading them.” As she speaks, she adjusts the fit of her black scale mail, tightening a strap at her shoulder with practiced ease; the dark plates catching the light revealing faint, flowing lines that follow the shape of a current. “People tend to be the part that doesn’t change.” She shifts her pack slightly, settling its weight, then draws her mace without fanfare. The metal is worn smooth where it’s been handled most, marked with the same quiet pattern, and she sets it at her side where her hand will find it without looking. Her gaze moves once toward the road, then back to Joe. “Beyond them,” she continues, “what does the road look like?” She pauses, before continuing. “Open ground? Trees? Places where it narrows?” She finishes a small adjustment at her wrist, her tone unchanged. “Where would you attempt an ambush, if you were planning to?”

 Mia nods. "Good question."

Joe Green answers this time. “I know that stretch of road well: It’s through open plains, but there are some winding sections and blind curves around hills, and bandits probably could hide from you if you don’t know where to look. It’s sparsely settled; mostly farms, and the people that way are big of heart, mostly hill-people (*halflings*), and they’d give you their head of hair for a rainy day if they could. I haven’t known the local bandits to jump people there, however: on a good day you can see Faraday from your yard, and you’d see them a mile away.”

Peregrine Joe adds, “And the last few times they jumped me, they weren’t on horseback. Besides, that country’s too rough for any fast riding except on the trails.”

“I suspect they might resort to a trick out that way,” Joe Green continues. “There’s also Mackey’s woodlot out that way, near the Ardenti, but the road doesn’t pass that close to it. All the same, I suggest that y’all be careful with these dangerous people. They’re desperate enough to jump Joe; they might try anything.”

"I'm sure we will be fine Mr Joe." Flin says to reassure the man

OOC sorry I am late.  Took time to generate character.

An obvious looking hick farmer walked into the tavern, but he looked like a dwarf if anyone notices, he looked like a real local with dusty clothes and boots that looked worn.  He was carrying a pack.

The dwarf walked in as if he had been in this place a lot, went to the bar called the barkeep by name, asked "just the usual".  and absentmindedly sat at a table near the group.  He looked around but had a vacant look.  He was mumbling to himself  so low that his lips moved but no sound came out.

Quote from Balthoran >>

"I'm sure we will be fine Mr Joe." Flin says to reassure the man

 Mia shakes her head but says nothing.

Lethira listens without interrupting, her attention moving first to Joe Green, then briefly to Peregrine Joe as the information concerning the road settles into place in her mind. Open ground. Long sightlines. Not many places to vanish unless you already know where to wait. She thinks to herself as her hand rests for a moment against the handle of her mace before shifting instead to the straps of her shield, tightening them along her forearm.. The black surface marked with the same flowing lines worked into her armor. “So if they stop someone out there,” she says quietly, “they’re choosing the ground before anyone arrives.” A small pause follows. “That’s planned.” Her gaze drifts briefly toward where the wagon would be outside, then in the direction of where the road stretches beyond Cairdell. “The woodlot makes sense,” she continues. “But if they’re waiting near open road…” She pauses a moment before finishing . “Then someone may be telling them what’s leaving town.” She forces  the last strap into place, her tone calm and even. “People usually repeat what’s worked for them before,” she says. “Especially if no one’s given them a reason not to.” Then she grows quiet again, attentive, already contemplating the road ahead long before they ever step onto it.

“Well, the day’s not getting any younger,” Joe finally says, “and I won’t let any bloody thieves stop me from traveling; otherwise, what sort of a merchant be anyway?!?” He sweeps up the basket and papers. “Tell JoJo her mughalaf were a smashing hit,” he says to Joe. With this remark, he heads toward the door, his cart, and the open road.

Quote from Character77006 >>

OOC sorry I am late.  Took time to generate character.

An obvious looking hick farmer walked into the tavern, but he looked like a dwarf if anyone notices, he looked like a real local with dusty clothes and boots that looked worn.  He was carrying a pack.

The dwarf walked in as if he had been in this place a lot, went to the bar called the barkeep by name, asked "just the usual".  and absentmindedly sat at a table near the group.  He looked around but had a vacant look.  He was mumbling to himself  so low that his lips moved but no sound came out.

 *No worries, the party hasn’t left town yet. I presume he’s at the Copper Kettle?*

Evelyn, who by now is awake and about, sets a mug of his usual before the dwarven farmer. “Here you are, Rutrow, just what you need,” she says as she passes him with a tray of griddlecakes. 

*I also guess Tozen is awake by now, given the smell of fresh griddlecakes and coffee?*

Quote from MrDicestone55 >>

“Well, the day’s not getting any younger,” Joe finally says, “and I won’t let any bloody thieves stop me from traveling; otherwise, what sort of a merchant be anyway?!?” He sweeps up the basket and papers. “Tell JoJo her mughalaf were a smashing hit,” he says to Joe. With this remark, he heads toward the door, his cart, and the open road.

 Mia grabs 4 griddle cakes and maple syrup and heads for the door.

Joe Green looks slightly shocked (he had six griddlecakes on a plate at his desk) but says nothing. 

Outside, Peregrine Joe walks over to the donkey outside, and says gently to it, “Ready to go, Bettye? We’re heading to Fataday, and I know you love munching on Shortstack’s barley and wheat every time we go west.” He pulls a half-mushed griddle cake out of a pocket and feeds it to the donkey, who seems to understand him.

Quote from MrDicestone55 >>

Joe Green looks slightly shocked (he had six griddlecakes on a plate at his desk) but says nothing. 

Outside, Peregrine Joe walks over to the donkey outside, and says gently to it, “Ready to go, Bettye? We’re heading to Fataday, and I know you love munching on Shortstack’s barley and wheat every time we go west.” He pulls a half-mushed griddle cake out of a pocket and feeds it to the donkey, who seems to understand him.

 Mia is waiting inside the store for everyone else.

Orien quietly follows Mia, “Does the road we are travelling have a name?”  Orien pulls the Statue of Tozer nearly complete and a stout small gouger which he uses to scrap a couple finishing touches on…

Mason’s tools proficiency with advantage due to proficiency in investigation to capture small details…

Total 23 Tozer as the ‘thinker’ statue worth 10gp (1days work high roll)

Orien looks for Tozer to bestow his gift as promised.

Then he starts considering the road and referencing names which might fit…

Quote from HunterOrien >>

Orien quietly follows Mia, “Does the road we are travelling have a name?”  Orien pulls the Statue of Tozer nearly complete and a stout small gouger which he uses to scrap a couple finishing touches on…

Mason’s tools proficiency with advantage due to proficiency in investigation to capture small details…

Total 21 Tozer as the ‘thinker’ statue worth 10gp (1days work high roll)

Orien looks for Tozer to bestow his gift as promised.

Then he starts considering the road and referencing names which might fit…

 “As far as I know, no.”

“We’re taking the West Branch of the Cart-Road,” Joe answers while checking the hitches and harnesses of the draft horses. “I travel this road frequently, and it’s the way I’ve been robbed the least. If I had a map to show you, I would.”

Ophidia’s Way Road

Seems to be the winner, as Orien immediately pulls a flat shingle of slate, which he then begins carving the runes for snake and road above the name.  This will be a road marker at some point along the way.

total 19

Orien also once outside uses goodberry to stock his pouch.

Quote from MrDicestone55 >>

“We’re taking the West Branch of the Cart-Road,” Joe answers while checking the hitches and harnesses of the draft horses. “I travel this road frequently, and it’s the way I’ve been robbed the least. If I had a map to show you, I would.”

 “West Branch, Cart-Road, these are directions and purpose but not a proper name.  What do you mean a map?  How can you have roads on a map without naming them?”  Orien is genuinely confused by the whole idea of roads on a map.  “If danger hides in the grass of a winding road I will bestow this name to it for better or worse.”

Joe doesn’t answer, seeing that the idea of a mental map would only further confuse the poor out-of-towner.

*Peregrine Joe has memorized many different roads and trails throughout Dan-thurás, and knows many people, but he likely won’t get any names straight if he tried recalling them. As far as he remembers, it has always been The Cart-Road to merchants from Yadyd and Frostfell to Delamar and Marsanta, with the descriptive names added later.*

Lethira watches Joe move for the door. “Then we go,” she says, quiet and certain. Outside, as Joe tends to the wagon and speaks to the donkey, she lifts her pack into place, rolls her shoulders once to balance the weight, then guides her arms through the straps of her shield, setting it flat against her back. “West Branch,” she says as Joe names the route. Her gaze shifts briefly to Orien as he works the slate, watching the name take shape without interrupting. “It may be christened with a new name shortly,” she adds lightly. Her attention returns to Joe. “You’ve taken it before. Where does it narrow?” Then turning to the others. “We should set our places before we move. Front, wagon, rear.” She pauses. “I’ll stay with the wagon. Close enough to reach either side.” Her gaze drifts toward the road ahead. “The focus will be the wagon.”

Rutrow grabs his pack, leaves his coin on the table, then walks out of the Copper Kettle, still in a bit of a daze and notices a small gathering.  Rutrow stops then looks around.  He sees first one then another he knows.  

"Hello and good morning.  What are you up to this fine morning?"