Adventure in Dan-thurás

Lethira turns at the sound of the voice, her attention settling on him. She recognizes after enough evenings at the Kettle, though names have never been formally exchanged. “Morning." Her gaze looks toward the small gathering around her adding. “Joe’s heading west to Faraday,” she explains. “The roads have been rough lately. Bandits.” She pauses. “So we’re making sure he stays with the wagon this time.” The faintest smile touches her expression, then passes. “We’re about ready to leave,” she adds. “You’re awake earlier than most people.”

Quote from Naiya_Varma >>

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.”

 “Well, there’s a couple of bad curves about 10 miles out of town, and another about 10 miles from Faraday,” Joe answers. He pulls a wand tipped with a small red crystal out of his voluminous sleeves and peers into the crystal end. Satisfied, he crams the wand back into the folds of his robes. “Maybe some of you could hide in the wagon; those bandits don’t care if I’m coming or going; just so I have money.”

Quote from Character77006 >>

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?"

 “Oh, hey Rutrow,” Joe says to the dwarf as he fastens the last of the ropes on the wagon’s canvas. “I’m just running to Faraday to pick up a shipment for Joe”—jerking his thumb in the store’s direction—“and these nice people are going to make sure I don’t come back in a box.” He straightens up and continues: “You know these bandits have been giving everyone the fits; Botha hasn’t had a skein of yard for a month, and I swear she’ll throttle ole sheriff Grin-Grin if she doesn’t get it this week.” He prattles on, covering the gossip of the disgruntled townspeople and the lack of goods at Honest Joe’s. “Of course, it hasn’t been easy for a poor traveling merchant like me.” He leans closer to the dwarf and whispers, “Confidentially, I don’t know if Joe’ll give me enough coin for this rabble of trouble shows up. That last run-in I had with those bandits just about cleaned me out. Had to give Scandal a magic wand just for a beer, and it was one of the good ones too; that magic-dart-blaster with the little sapphires on the side.” (*Perception check if anyone considers eavesdropping*)

(*I guess people can decide where they’ll be in the caravan, or roll Initiative for placement; IDK*)

Lethira lets her attention linger on Rutrow before Joe’s answer focuses her back toward the road ahead. Her gaze settles on Joe as he speaks of the curves beyond town. “Places where the road tightens,” she says quietly. Then the wand appears from Joe’s sleeve, and her eyes follow the movement almost absently. The red crystal catches the morning light. Lethira watches it a moment longer than she otherwise might, not suspicious, simply curious. “You check that often?” she asks, as she looks at him. “Or only before the road?”

Arcana check [19]
To see if she can determine the properties of the wand and what it is capable of casting.

(*The gem appeared to be a blood ruby, and one of the finer specimens at that; she would have to attempt to attune to the wand to gauge its true potential, but at a glance, it is likely able to unleash the equivalent of an adult red dragon’s ire, compressed into a bolt the size and thickness of a pencil at the discretion and direction of its wielder, with predictable results*)

“Oh this? It’s just a little bit of heat that I pack for bandits—when I get the chance to use it.” His last words fade into a snarl as he tightened his grip on the wand before stashing it. “But I don’t like to damage my merchandise. Lucky thing the bandits don’t think to check pockets. Too bad they had to shake me out like the folds of my robes.”

Rutrow nods as he listens to the gossip from Joe.  Rutrow then says, "Ahh Joe...ahh..do you mind if...ahh I ride with you?   There was this weird...thing that happened...last night.  I wouldn't mind a change of scenery for a couple of days...ahh...if you don't mind."

“ ‘‘Tis no problem for me, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy everyone’s company,” Joe answered cheerfully. She’s giving the marching orders”—gesturing toward Lethira. “I’m just here for the fresh air.”

He turns to the others, “Well, I guess the giant and the joker can meet us on the road if they want. Those goods Joe wants aren’t getting any newer. And…”—wagging his finger at Flins—“This guy negotiated 15 gold for the each of you, payable upon the shipment’s safe delivery. We can work out whatever pay for trouble when we’re through with it.” He nimbly hops onto the wagon’s buckboard, clicks his tongue and the reins at the horses and starts moseying out of town at a walk, Bettye haltered to the back of the wagon.

Quote from MrDicestone55 >>

(*I guess people can decide where they’ll be in the caravan, or roll Initiative for placement; IDK*)

 Mia is sitting off one of the sides in the middle most likely.