Jalt has taken his vestments and all holy symbols of Bahamut off of his person, except for a small holy symbol pendant that he keeps in his backpack. For the first time since they all met, Jalt is wearing traveling clothes over the chain mail provided to him by Theresa. For as much as he carefully uses his words and actions, you forget that Jalt is still young by most standards. Taking off the vestments, you can see him almost lose years from his appearance. He wears a light brown like tunic and dark brown pants and keeps his handaxe on his right side. Looking like a merchant in the Sahara.

Elspeth trades all her clothing for more worn-out, less vibrant wear, posing as a country bumpkin with undyed cloth, plain but of good quality, and second hand boots she takes care to scuffle even further. She accepts studded armor if given and will wear them under her clothing. She'll keep her scimitar by her as well as a dagger, since she's aiming to pose as a guard. 

"Are we splitting up, then?" She queries. "I have to admit I'm uncertain if I could keep up the charade by myself but I understand the benefits. Nate, if you want to pair up with Soar then I'll go with Jalt."

She will try to help Nate convince Leosin that they should keep the horses, faking casualness as she mentions how she and Netta worked well together yesterday in the race, and that they've been getting along really well.

Soar’s hair is dyed jet black. She packs away her doomguide armor and uses a very weathered and rusty set of chain mail in its place. Underneath it she now wears clothes that were once colorful and festive but now are a bit faded. Some torn ruffles, even a silk or two, all in once-loud reds, blues, and yellows. Her shoes are a very worn green. She has a dark purple cap that, along with her new hairdo, mostly covers her face. She has her sword in its scabbard almost behind her and her shield on her back, with her pack. She’s slouching and stiff at the same time. She holds in her hands a small flute-like instrument.

“I’m Boar. Once a popular performer, now down on her luck and trying to make her way in this cruel, cruel world as a caravan guard.”

Her voice is the opposite of fun. Definitely not the cadence or pep of someone who tries to entertain people for a living. Easy to see why Boar failed as a bard. Her eyebrow raises, and she smirks. “What do you think?”

(Nate can sell as spear for 5 silver pieces, and buy a whip for 2 gold, so please also remove 15 more silver (1.5 gold) from Nate's equipment)

Sadly, Leosin is not willing to part with the horses.  I'm afraid there are others who need these more.  Messages must be sent, and faster, north ahead of our enemy.  I'm sure you understand.  It's said with goodwill, and you part on excellent terms with Leosin, but he doesn't tell you much of how or when he will contact you again.

Captain Corm pushes the riverboat off, and you spend the first day relaxing and watching the scenery pass by.  Once you are away from Elturel itself, you are mostly surrounded by countryside with farms and cultivated fields, with flocks of sheep and cattle here and there - it seems to be a peaceful, prosperous agricultural region.  The light of the Companion begins to dim as soon as you are an hour from the city, and by the time the evening comes, darkness does return to you in truth, and you see the moon and stars for the first time in a couple of days.

You eat the evening meal with the Captain and some of her crew; apparently the fare for the riverboat includes meal.

So, she says as you are finishing the stew and bread meal, and you don't have to answer any questions if you're not wanting to, but what are you folks planning for Baldur's Gate?  Ontharr's a meddlesome old goat - I hope he hasn't got you mixed up in some nonsense that's none of anybody's business.

The better question is what does Baldur's Gate have planned for us? replies Jalt This stew is great. Is it a family recipe? Jalt is trying to sway the conversation elsewhere but trying to be more like Soar to see if he can actually pull it off. This might be the best stew I've ever had. He looks over to Soar Don't you think Boar?

“Hmm? Oh yes, soup. I’ve had better. Not that I’m not grateful, you see, Cap. I just, well, I’ve performed for famous chefs, and they made very good soups. But those days are gone now. Lost my talent with music. Been surviving as a caravan guard. Ontharr’s just helping me out.”

Soar’s voice and affect are meant to be almost unrecognizable. Debbie Downer and Dolorous Edd’s super bummer of a cousin. Flat tone, no smile, absently playing with her flute.

”I expect this river journey takes forever, right? Is this upstream? I can never tell with the wind. And we probably stay up all night for a watch? I wonder if it will rain. I don’t like rain.”

“Did you know people are more likely to drown on rivers than on the ocean? Unless you get to a port city, that’s even worse.”

(done!)

Nate looks down sadly when Leosin declines the horses and bids him farewell.

During the day on the boat, Nate would've said to the party "I think you all look great... Soar if we are going to be together I think you should do all of the talking, or at least most of it. Definitely the pleasantries. I think you know why." Nate blushes. "We could say we just met in the caravan. If anyone asks me anything, I'm just going to say that I'm looking for work and am able with a horse and that I've come from the far North."

He'd also say: "Ok... now that we are away from the companion... just look at this. Look around us. Isn't this better than that fake light source?" Nate's going to spend a lot of time on the ship deck breathing in the fresh air and looking at the countryside and taking in the normal sunlight. He's going to feel even better at night when he sees the moon.

To Elspeth: "Ok tell me that moon isn't the best thing you've seen since we've been in Elturel... no? I mean... I think I've heard you talking about the moon before. I was surprised to see how comfortable you were in that city. Ugh... I felt so... off there."

Nate isn't going to converse with the Captain, Nate is quite tired but will answer her question "Oh Captain well I'm just headed to the Gate to look for work. Tryin' to save some coin to take up rent somewhere around by. Hey, real nice ship you've got here. And thanks for the meal... it's great, like they said."

You all might be able to tell that Nate is in a noticeably better, and more sane, type of mood, since we left Elturel (the companion).

Or you might've not noticed. 

It is, or at least so I've been told.  My grandmother taught it to me, and I've no knowledge of where she learned it, so yes, let's say it's an old family recipe.  Jamel seems pleased to be talking about her recipe. 

The trip takes three days, two days in a pinch, but you folks aren't in a pinch, are you?  The captain seems curious but cautious; she's not prying, just trying to make conversation, or so it seems.  As for drowning, there's more folk on the rivers, so that's why more of them die.  But you're at no risk.  This boat has served me and mine well enough for a long long time, long before you were born I reckon.  Don't you worry, I'll get you to Baldur's Gate soon enough.  It's downstream, so we're not fighting against the river current; it's an easy journey, and no need for you folks to keep watch.

Captain Corm has several other crew with her, and it's clear that at least two will be up through the night working, steering the ship and keeping a lookout for trouble.  If you wish to take turns and keep watch, that's fine too.

13

Whether you stay up or rest the whole night, there are no incidents.  The river is not empty - there are other barges and riverboats travelling upstream and down, and in the night each shines a lantern from a high spot to be easily visible to others.  

On the second day of the voyage, you see a large forest looming on the southern bank of the River Chiontharr.  That's the Wood of Sharp Teeth, the captain calls.  Three guesses on how it got its name.  A fine place for hunting, if you've more courage than sense.  We'll be steering well clear.  The ominous-looking forest passes by without incident.

On the third day, the river is getting more and more crowded.  Instead of farmland, you are now passing by villages settled upon the river banks.  Passage becomes harder as small fishing vessels and ferries block traffic, and Corm has to maneuver the boat with care and not a few muttered oaths.  But as the sun is high in the sky, you glimpse a glinting in the distance, and realise that what you are seeing is the colourful and painted towers of the distance city of Baldur's Gate, which an hour later is more fully in view.  We'll be there about an hour before nightfall, the captain says, seeming pleased with your progress.

Your crew sure makes the ride comfortable Jalt remarks. He hasn't been back to Baldur's Gate since the time he met Breena at the Purple Wyrm. He reminisces about that night when they met. Jalt hasn't had many friends outside of Ruinspoke. And as the boat glides through the river towards their destination, he looks to where Soar and Elspeth are and manages a slight smile. They've been through a lot already and he trust them with his life. Funny place to realize now that he has more friends. A comfortable ride indeed.

Elspeth is bright and cheerful during the day on the riverboat, asking questions frequently and often about the running of a boat, although it takes her a little bit to acclimatize to the riverboat, and spends most of the day a little green, but she's much cheered by the scenery of pastures and farmland that surrounds the river. and becomes much more energetic in the late afternoon

She quietly finds the sight of Soar's efforts to remain stoic and unfriendly amusing, but tries to keep her reactions minimal, so Soar's cover isn't blown.

To Nate, she agrees that the sight of natural light is certainly refreshing after so long in the light of the Companion, and the bright light of the moon is good to see even if she thought nothing negative of the Companion's light.

"Good thing we're not travelling through those woods by foot then. I don't travel on boats often, it's good that it's so much faster than by land. Nothing urgent, per se, but it's always better to be early rather than late!"

Soar has been quietly amused with this new dour persona, but outwardly she has had a miserable voyage. She mostly has sat curled up in a ball near the captain, quietly groaning when someone’s in earshot. She hasn’t actually been seasick at all but she has been getting good grumpy practice in for the caravan.

She has also been eavesdropping in on the captain to try to learn about the river, the ship, Baldur’s Gate, and Ontharr. She’s been doing a lot of praying to Kelemvor. Otherwise she has been useless. Which is very un-Soar-like.

Nate is happy to see that the trip is pretty uneventful, and is also happy that there is more than enough crew on board to take watch so he can get some good sleeps. He will take special note of the Wood of Sharp Teeth and wishes in that moment that they could stop and explore. He's not going to be doing much talking during the trip... he doesn't want to get himself into anything too charismatic yet unless he needed too. He will wait and do his best once they arrive in Baldur's Gate and kind of just stay close to Soar, ready to be with her when the group splits up upon arrival and just getting to know her fake persona better in case he needs to act on it.

In private, away from the crew, Soar will help coach Nate on How To Talk To People so they can share the burden when they mig it get split up, and Soar can keep her hopefully-unrecognizable persona active. She will still try to do most of the talking but she doesn’t want Nate to feel powerless.

Pulling Nate, Jalt, and Elspeth aside and talking quietly, she tries to confirm the plan. “So are we getting to Ontharr’s contact together, dropping the code word, and coordinating with him to try to place us with smaller guard companies, and also point us to where normal travelers would gather to join the caravan? Elspeth should we try to be from different guard companies and pretend we don’t know each other? And Jalt are you posing as a merchant? Do you have merchandise or are you looking to buy? Maybe you and Elspeth know each other from a previous caravan? And Nate, you’re a country bumpkin looking for work, maybe taking care of horses - maybe you already do that with the guard company and that’s why we know each other.”

"Code word.... right."

Nate continues to listen as close as he can to Soar "Yes... that is a great idea. Country bumpkin lookin' for work. I frequently take care of the horses when the guard company needs it and so have been hired a few times by your company, hence why we know each other."

The riverboat pulls up, and the crew secure it with thick, dirty ropes.  The city of Baldur's Gate rises before you.  

And it is a tangle of narrow alleys, twisting and turning.  Even at the docks, you see only a few small carts, no large wagons and no horses.

This city's a maze, my friends, the captain comments as she sees you looking upon it.  I hope you like walking.  Slowly.  She laughs, and then shakes each of you by the hand.  Now it's time to say farewell, I suppose.  I wish you well on whatever your task here is, and tell that old goat Ontharr to keep sending me good company.  As you disembark, you see the crew getting ready to spend the night before setting off back towards Elturel.

Despite the narrow streets, you see a city bustling and full of life.  The towers and walls are brightly coloured, even in the docks area, and you see the tips of mansions, palaces and towers in the distance.  A street seller walks past offering sweet dried fruits and nuts, another selling small pieces of meat skewered on a small wooden stick.  The sellers are friendly and not persistent; they move on quickly to the next potential customer.  

You have been given the name Ackyn Selebon, and know that he lives in the Outer City to the north.  You may be able to reach him before nightfall, and one of you has travelled to the city before.  Jalt, please make a general INTelligence check as you try to recall the layout and how to get around.

Intelligence:  12

Jalt, however you came to and left the city last time, you definitely don't recognise where you are now.  From the position of the sun in the sky you have a vague idea which way is north, but that's about it.

As Soar departs, she thanks the captain, shakes hands, and meets her eyes for a brief second. "Thank you, and hope you liked the show," she says quietly, with a half-smile and a wink.

Seeing Jalt struggling, Soar will find someone who seems reliable in the streets and ask them for the best way to get north to the Outer City.

Soar, you see another seller approaching, this one selling strange red fruit with white innards.  There's also a woman and a man carrying large sacks of something, chatting amiably as they go.  Finally, you see a small boy picking up little pebbles and tossing them into the water.  Who do you approach?