"Hey there, my name is Omnia what is yours? When we saw you earlier you said i know something you dont know, is there anything you know that could help us with these bullies"

Nate, Sister Garaele looks a little sad as you speak.  You are, of course, very welcome to take your rest here, if you wish.  But I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for you this day.  The Lady grants me what little magic I know at the dawn of day, and I have used what I have already.

(Sister Garaele's shrine does not offer a good clear view of the manor or the road approaching it, no.  Do you want to seek out somewhere else?  If so, let me know what kind of place you are looking for, and give me an Investigation check.)

Omnia, the little boy nods slowly.  Promise you won't tell ma, though, he whispers.

"I promise have you ever heard of a pinky swear?" Omnia offers up her pinky finger to shake on it 

The little boy eagerly offers up his own pinky for the swear, grinning ear to ear.

Then his face grows more serious.  I know where the Red men go.

"Where do they go?" Omnia asks excitedly 

He points to the south-east;  There.  Then he grabs your hand, and says, Come on.  But quiet. 

He leads you through the eastern part of town, a little bit around the mound where the ruins of the manor sit and into a small wood.

Omnia, make a Stealth check.

Stealth: 20

Omnia, at one point the boy pulls you down behind a short stone wall to hide for a few moments.  Then he pops his head up, checks the coast is clear, and pulls you along.  Ma doesn’t like me going this far.

You haven’t really gone all that far, but you round a small area of rocks and see that the earth dips into a small but densely green area, filled with small trees and bushes, green leaves and branches making it difficult to move through.  But the boy moves confidently, and within a minute you are standing and looking at the mouth of a cave that seems to lead under the ruins of the manor.

Usually they go up the manor road.  But sometimes they just appear from nowhere, so I followed them.  They go here.  He points at the cave.

"Thank you, have you been into the cave? Are they using this more frequently?"

With Omnia having left the group, Delmon turns to the rest. "I'm sure Omnia will return soon. I suggest we stay here, at the shrine, and rest for a little while. I could use the time to tend to my wounds." After a moment of silence he speaks up again, staring at the ground. "You know," he starts, sort of toward the group but mostly toward Leo, "I tried to quell my rage in an attempt to focus on not killing the red brands. I guess I'm not in control of my emotions as much as I had hoped." He draws in a breath with eyes closed. He then starts to work with his cuts and bruises.

OOC: Can I spend hit dice or should I wait till the short rest is certain?

 "Delmon, how long have we been travelling with each other now?  A couple of years?"

Leo smiles reassuringly at Delmon, "... in that time you have not only acted in a professional manner, you have been a great assistance to me and my family."

Patting Delmon on the shoulder, Leo continues, "On occasion I have come to rely on your rage and loss of emotions.  However, I find that the best way to control ones emotions is through meditation - it was one of the core tenets of my own training."

Omnia, the little boy looks doubtful.  Dunno.  Maybe?  I don't watch all the time, silly!  He grabs your hand and starts to pull you back to town.  Tell your friends, right?

(OOC:  Yeah, please wait until I narrate that the short rest is underway before spending hit dice or doing anything else related to resting)

Nate kind of eavesdrops on Leo and Delmon and then speaks up "Delmon - why don't you take one of these. Given your likelihood to be on our front lines, I imagine you might need it."

Nate gives Delmon a Potion of Healing from his inventory. 

"Oh yes, I am sure Omnia will be back shortly with a story or two to tell knowing her."

Nate then begins to make himself comfortable on the floor to prepare for his meditations.

As Nate begins his preparations, he says to Leo:

"What are your favorite ways to meditate, Leo? I enjoy meditating in nature... I find a sense of peace and connection when I am outside and I can observe myself craving and desiring natures all powerful energies. Do you meditate in preparation for battles?"

"Oh yes i will tell them, for the time being though it might be best if you keep your distance from here i wouldn't want to see you get hurt by the red coats"

Omnia gives the young lad a smile as they depart ways and she heads up to catch the others at the shrine

"Hey guys, so the young lad thats been hanging around has shown me a cave entrance where the redguards secretly come into town, we didnt go down but it looks like the tunnel leads right up underneath the manor. Might be worth taking that route so we dont get seen from the main road and if they dont fall for our trap then we still got the element of surprise"

You settle down to take a short rest at the shrine.  You can continue to talk as you rest, but the hour passes without interruption and you can roll hit dice and recover abilities that come back after a short rest (typically not spell slots, for example.)

(OOC:  For the sake of clarity, Nate told the Redbrand to tell his leader to meet you at the mine today, not tomorrow.)

"Nate, I find that meditation helps hone the mind.  It can be done at any time, though often it is nice to have a level of quietness.  Frequently when I feel the world getting ahead of me I find the need for my mind to retreat into itself."  Leo says calmly, attempting to sound sagely.

"Take that recent fracas with those Redbrands...  My blows were erratic and unable to find purchase, why?  Because my mind was erratic... chaotic.  It is not as though it was determined by random chance... I was not in control of my mind as I should have been, as I have been taught to be."

Turning to Delmon now, Leo continues, "So there you have it Delmon, we can all lose our heads in the height of battle.  But you can train your mind to withstand the urges, the chaos."  Leo turns to face Nate, "You too Nate."

"You have to find that place within yourself... That thought, that memory, that emotion, which allows you to be at ease... which allows the franticness of the situation to fade away."

Nate smiles and greets Omnia when she comes back to the shrine. "Well you must have a way with kids - that is great news. That secret tunnel sounds like that is the way we should take."

Nate then looks over to Leo and listens intently on what he says. He nods... "Yes... that makes sense. I understand... I think I've always understood, but I've struggled with applying it in frantic situations such as the one we just encountered. Much like you guys. I would be very much interested in learning more about your meditation teachings... *ahem* when we have more time, that is."

Nate will also take 30 mins to himself as he sits to meditate. He finds a spot in the shrine where he can see outside, and focuses on a tree and begins to breathe slowly and close his eyes. Nate will use Natural Recovery during his meditations and recover 1 level 1 spell. He focuses as well on an image of a Spider in preparation for perhaps turning into one once we arrive at the hideout. 

Delmon nods as Leo and Nate speak about meditation. "Perhaps I will try it during my morning routine tomorrow. I would like to be able to keep a level head with the battle coming up." He then turns to Nate, "I appreciate the potion Nate, thanks a lot. This group has been so welcoming to Leo and I that I don't feel we are strangers at all. Almost like we've known each other for some time."

As Omnia approaches with the news, Delmon replies. "That's a great job scouting the tunnel. The only worry I have now is if they use that same tunnel to meet us at the mines. We may run into each other. Hopefully they use a different route but we should be prepared if that was to happen."

OOC: Delmon recovers 8 from the short rest. I've also added the potion of healing to my equipment.