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.

Orien walks near Bettye, “Hello Bettye my names Orien.”  He holds a goodberry out for Bettye.  Then puts some holes in the slate sign readying it to be mounted properly…

Quote from LinkArcher >>

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.

Rutrow thanks Joe for the acceptance to ride.  Hearing everyone load up, Rutrow shakes Joe's hand saying "Again thanks"  As Rutrow spins to go into the back he sees Orien, " Good Morning Orien, nice to see you." Waves at Orien, then continues to wagon's rear.  As Rutrow is probably the last to board, he gets up and into the back bed.

Seeing some familiar faces, some strangers he blinks and takes a deep breath, "Hello, I am Rutrow...and it looks like your traveling companion.". Rutrow finds a space, and plops down in it.  

Rutrow pack is in good shape and not dusty like himself, in fact it looks like he just got the pack minutes earlier.  After the pleasantries, Rutrow is opening the pack and going through it.  His face has the look of a person looking at something for the 1st time, a mixture of awe and wonder and even puzzlement.

Quote from Character77006 >>

Quote from LinkArcher >>

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.

 

Rutrow thanks Joe for the acceptance to ride.  Hearing everyone load up, Rutrow shakes Joe's hand saying "Again thanks"  As Rutrow spins to go into the back he sees Orien, " Good Morning Orien, nice to see you." Waves at Orien, then continues to wagon's rear.  As Rutrow is probably the last to board, he gets up and into the back bed.

Seeing some familiar faces, some strangers he blinks and takes a deep breath, "Hello, I am Rutrow...and it looks like your traveling companion.". Rutrow finds a space, and plops down in it.  

Rutrow pack is in good shape and not dusty like himself, in fact it looks like he just got the pack minutes earlier.  After the pleasantries, Rutrow is opening the pack and going through it.  His face has the look of a person looking at something for the 1st time, a mixture of awe and wonder and even puzzlement.

 Mia looks at him, raises a hand in greeting, but doesn’t say anything.

Quote from MrDicestone55 >>

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

 *Flins would be towards the front of the caravan*

Quote from LinkArcher >>

Quote from Character77006 >>

 

 Mia looks at him, raises a hand in greeting, but doesn’t say anything.

Rutrow nods acknowledgement.

Quote from HunterOrien >>

Orien walks near Bettye, “Hello Bettye my names Orien.”  He holds a goodberry out for Bettye.  Then puts some holes in the slate sign readying it to be mounted properly…

 Bettye accepts the berry without hesitation or reservation, innately sensing Orien’s friendliness much like she understands Joe.

*Here’s the (tentative) placement of everyone (I’ll update as needed). The middle of the wagon is the least likeliest to notice things on the road and takes the longest to exit the wagon. The wagon can hold up to 2000 pounds and 10 people (reduced by cargo).

Joe: front of wagon/driver

Flins: front of wagon; shot(pew-pew) or point man

Mia: middle of wagon; passenger

Lethira: front of wagon, running point with Flins?

Orien: back of wagon, chatting with Bettye; probably walking so he can place his road sign

Rutrow: back of wagon

*I guess Tozen and Kayn either join just as the wagon rolls past the town limits or they realize that they got left behind and find out which way he’s going, and Lethira is running point with Flins*

Lethira’s gaze remains on the wand a moment longer before disappearing into the folds of Joe's robes again. 

Around her, people begin to drift naturally toward their places in the wagon. Lethira adjusts the strap of her pack once, then rests her fingers briefly against the worn metal of her mace. “Vaelith,” she says softly. “Keep the current moving.” A small pause follows. “And let nothing stay where it shouldn’t.”

“You picked an interesting morning to leave town,” Lethira says to Rutrow, in a warm but measured tone. Then, instead of climbing into the wagon herself, she falls into step alongside it, slightly behind the middle where she can watch both the road ahead and the movement behind them. One hand brushes lightly along the wagon’s side as the wheels begin to turn. Her shield remains secured across her back, black scale mail shifting softly with each steady step.

As Bettye accepts the berry without hesitation, the faintest trace of a smile touches Lethira’s expression. “You have a new friend,” she says lightly to Orien.
Then her attention drifts forward again, following the line of the road ahead of them.

Two hours pass beneath the steady rhythm of wheels, hoofbeats, and open road. The fields surrounding Cairdell stretch broad beneath the morning light, long grasses bending softly in the wind with little cover for anyone looking to make trouble this close to town. Lethira keeps pace beside the wagon, her stride measured and unhurried, attention moving naturally between the road ahead, the movement of the group, and the distant rise of hills slowly taking shape along the horizon. Then her gaze catches something ahed.

The ogre approaching from the opposite direction comes into view slowly, large even at a distance, a heavy sack slung over one shoulder. Lethira watches them for a moment as they approach in a calm manner. Then, she steps away from the wagon and moves ahead of the caravan to meet it. “May the current carry you cleanly,”  she calls, her voice calm and clear across the road. As she nears, one hand settles lightly against the dark scales over her chest where the flowing mark of Vaelith has been worked into the armor itself.

 “Lethira Blackwater,” she says simply. “I am a keeper of the Current.”

 Her eyes drift briefly toward the sack over the ogre’s shoulder before returning to its face again, more interested in reaction than explanation.

 “You’ve covered some ground already,” she says, easy and conversational. “Road been kind to you?”

Insight [7]
To determine the Ogre demeaner 
Perception [15]
To get a read on what he could be carrying in the sac (as she is aware of how Joe spent his day yesterday)

Two hours of cart-travel pass uneventfully (*six miles*). “Those bandits aren’t going to try anything here,” Joe remarks, waving his hand over the expansive fields. “They’ll probably try closer to the hills; they try jumping anyone this side of town, and the sheriff and his posse will hit them so hard they won’t need gravediggers.”

The caravan approaches an ogre coming the opposite direction. It is carrying a large sack over its shoulder.

Two hours pass beneath the steady rhythm of wheels, hoofbeats, and open road. The fields surrounding Cairdell stretch broad beneath the morning light, long grasses bending softly in the wind with little cover for anyone looking to make trouble this close to town. Lethira keeps pace beside the wagon, her stride measured and unhurried, attention moving naturally between the road ahead, the movement of the group, and the distant rise of hills slowly taking shape along the horizon. Then her gaze catches something ahed.

 

The ogre approaching from the opposite direction comes into view slowly, large even at a distance, a heavy sack slung over one shoulder. Lethira watches them for a moment as they approach in a calm manner. Then, she steps away from the wagon and moves ahead of the caravan to meet it. “May the current carry you cleanly,”  she calls, her voice calm and clear across the road. As she nears, one hand settles lightly against the dark scales over her chest where the flowing mark of Vaelith has been worked into the armor itself.

 “Lethira Blackwater,” she says simply. “I am a keeper of the Current.”

 Her eyes drift briefly toward the sack over the ogre’s shoulder before returning to its face again, more interested in reaction than explanation.

 “You’ve covered some ground already,” she says, easy and conversational. “Road been kind to you?”

Insight [7]
To determine the Ogre demeaner 
Perception [15]
To get a read on what he could be carrying in the sac (as she is aware of how Joe spent his day yesterday)

 The ogre doesn’t seem flagrantly hostile, given his steady pace and neutral demeanor. The sack probably has junk in it; baubles that the ogre found interesting; possibly scrap metal to be taken to Zuldrak for a few coins.

The ogre answers in surprisingly posh Common: “Eh, the arterial could be more chiffon, but all in all, my peregrinations have been dulcet and congenial. But now, prithee tell, who art thou, and thine cohort, and the destiny of thine pilgrimage?”