Everyone, roll me a history check (or something else you think might be relevant - nature for locales?) to see what you might know about these locations, names, etc.

History: 7

History 14+ Guidance 4

Brask's History check:  2

Burdan is invested in this as well: 17 Nature check

Burik, still recovering from his brush with death, has a hard time remembering anything. He knows, at least, none of the locales are anywhere near his mountain home.

Brask and Effort, you both recall the name Xandar...it was the high priest who you interacted with while you were in Lovilra. The one who was attacked and almost killed by the cultists. Yelhorn and Murmur don't mean anything to you, though.

Burdan doesn't recognize any of the names, but starts to look over the maps. "Yeah...some of these markings correspond to the places on the list," he runs a finger from your location back to Lovilra, then southwest to Redguard, then up and all the way to the northeast to Gorta. "Redguard is the high elf city on the western shore. On the edge of the red sands. And seems you all know about the other two spots."

The priest?  Brask's memories come to him slowly.   Oh, yeah, right, the priest.  Sam's buddy.  So he was the target?  Or still is maybe?  Nah, we killed the dog boys in Lovilra.  So the rest of them are targets too.  We gonna warn 'em?

So, he turns to Burdan, where's nearest?  Gorta?  Redguard's a long way away, that much I know.

"None are particularly close," Burdan says, handing the maps back to Effort. "Lovilra is a few days, but you've already thwarted that attempt? Redguard is two or three times the distance to the western coast. Gorta even further, all the way up north on the other side of the mountains. If you're heading to the carrion coast, you could just keep on going north...but still, you won't be there for a few weeks. A month, maybe, if you have other things to deal with."

He thinks for a moment. "If this group was meant to track down the names on this list, we may have bought ourselves a little time. Who knows how long before they were going to report back? I can try to get a message to Redguard. It'll take awhile, but should still reach this elf before anyone else can. At least then they can be ready." He rubs his chin. "Not sure I know of anyone that travels up to Gorta. So I'm not sure about getting word up there. And as for...Murmur? No location listed."

Hang on, says Brask, his ears and his brain trying to catch up to each other.  These names.  They're contacts of the dogturds?  Or targets for assassination?  Or what?  Effort, you know this 'Promise'?  What?  Old friend?  Old rival?

Some of the tension fades from Effort's shoulders as she recalls Xander, and the fate of the cultists who attacked him.

"Promise... he's an old friend of mine, a tiefling, like myself.  We grew up on the streets of Gorta together.  I always knew he was holding something back from the rest of us... but I didn't know what."  She blinks.  "Still don't.  But whatever it is, it looks like it may have turned him into a target of the cultists somehow."  She purses her lips.  "I'll be honest... after seeing this list, I want to return to Gorta more than ever.  I wasn't sure that Promise was even still alive.  I thought he was dead.  But it looks like I was wrong, and he's in trouble somehow."

That's settled then, says Brask with satisfaction.  Gorta, and more fools to smash.  Talk more in the morning.   He heads to his bedroll to sleep for the night, satisfied in having a clear purpose.

"I suppose you haven't been to the east yet," Burdan is up and drinking from his waterskin when you all wake in the morning. It's damn cold, but the sun is shining and just peeking over the mountains. "Things are bad there. The disappearances and violence have grown even worse than they are in Lovilra and the west. Carrion Coast nastier than ever. More reports of monsters. And the rich folk don't want their precious lives disturbed. Just be careful where you tread, is all I'm saying. Getting to Gorta is going to be tough, and folks won't make it any easier for ya."

He starts to organize his things and shoves them into his pack. "Wish I could join you, but I have other things to attend to. But I'll try and get word to Redguard as soon as possible. Good luck!"

Effort's tail twitches a bit as Burdan prepares to take off.  "Thanks for your aid so far, and for taking up part of this task," she tells him.  "It's a bit sad to see you go."  Her eyes drift lower as he bends over his pack.  "... but it sure is nice to see you leave," she adds more for herself, narrowing her eyes with a satisfied smirk.

She can almost hear Cadmael's eyeroll ricocheting through her mind.   I'm staying with the minotaur until your mind is safe, he says as he wings over to land on Brask's shoulder.

"Lets hope that word gets there in time. And we're tough folk, mostly anyway, I'm sure we'll be able to push our way through."

Rich people plus monsters equals coin for us, says Brask, welcoming Cadmael with a scritch.  See ya, Burdan.  Make sure you get that message sent.  He eyes the path to the east with relish, and sets off as soon as the party is ready to join him.  

OOC: As a reminder, the map of Oshait is on the campaign page, and I do use it to figure out where the party is currently traveling, how long it'll take to get places, etc. Right now you're probably around the bottom-left of the W in "White Wind Mountains". It's probably only a day or so to get around the final tall peaks and onto the eastern side of the continent. 

(OOC: Once we get round into the east, I guess we have maybe three options.  One is to head to the coast, to try to find a ship that can take us to Gorta.  Another is to head towards the big river that flows through Green Fork, and see if there are riverboats that could take us - that would get us much closer to Gorta at least, if not the whole way.  The last is simply to head north-east over land, and do the full trek.  What's the countryside like in the east?  How much would Brask - or the rest of the party - know about it?)

(My vote is for the river-way, although technically Effort would encourage others to take the same route she followed out of Gorta, back in.  I have no idea what that would be, I'd assume along the  path of some trade caravan, however it got in and out of there.)

Everyone, roll me a history check to see what you know about the eastern side of the continent. Effort, you may do so with advantage.

12