"The body was burned. As is our custom when we deal with the snake folk. Alas, we shall never know what that spy was really doing, but we never knew he was of the scaled folk until we removed the hood of the dead body. How the dwarf knew, I have no idea. I'll be right back with your food." She turns and leaves, returning half an hour later with some eggs, chicken, bread, and ale as requested.

Aeson says a quiet prayer to himself and then reaches for his ale. He drinks about half of it before setting it back down, thirsty from his travels.  "Thank you Madam Bolo for this meal and the drink. We have a few questions from this dwarf, and are looking to find him. Where are these hills that he was needing an escort, and how many were in his entourage?"

Raishan gives a thankful nod to Bolo, and then with a wink slides over 10 GP to cover the cost of everyone's meal and the additional info that she gives us.

"Well, the hills are to the Northeast, and he had about one to two dozen guards with him, I assume they were mercenaries. Is there anything else I can get you my dears? Lodging perhaps?"

"What can you tell me about this small village? Are there any nearby temples or orphanages? Why would these snake people try to spy on you?"

"The only thing this village has that others don't is the keep. Some great family clan wanted to build a castle here, that's why our roads are guarded by paladins. Other than that, this village is no better than another. Maybe the snakes see us as a threat to their home. Only the gods know why they would want to spy on the likes of us.

"Thank you for the information."  Leshanna says with a nod.  She eats, almost mechanically, not touching the ale, but drinking from her waterskin instead.  Once done she gets up and glances to the others.  "Our quarry has a head start on us it seems.  I think we should leave immediately to continue the hunt at once."  She glances outside.  "if we leave now we can make it a ways before we need to camp for the night.  Looking at the group closer.  Are any of you good at tracking in the wild?" 

"In a pinch I can become a pretty damn good tracker, and Surnia here is very good as well. Though if someone already has the skills I would prefer to go that route and leave my power for something else if need be." Raishan answers Leshanna.

 (What time of day is it?)

(Afternoon)

 "What is our plan once we find this Varram?"

“We bring him in, show him the error of his ways.  True justice, is he doesn’t vow to turn from his old ways and help the battle against the dragons.... dispose of him.” Horark says candidly without letting the townspeople hear him

"I agree with Sir Horark. Varram must be brought back alive if at all possible. There is no justice in death and his information may prove valuable."

"I agree with Sir Horak alive is the most desirable outcome but also the one with the most risks. Let's hope the fates are in our favor." Raishan mentions.

“Well as long as we’ve reached a consensus, although there are ways to interrogate a dead man.”

"Now that we have rehashed things we decided back in Waterdeep, can we move out?" Leshanna asks as she glances to the others.  She heads for the door, mounting Prancer and heading out, in the direction the dwarf was said to have gone.

“And here I would have preferred for us all to get to know one another better, oh well business first I suppose.” Jasper finished with some feigned melancholy while following her out.

"Come along Horark, we must be on our way as well. Take note of this day and how I finessed those guards into extra information without having to pay for their meal or drink as promised. We should make haste before they realize." Free does a half jog to his warhouse.

Aeson hurriedly finishes his ale and leaves with the others, reciting what his masters spent years teaching him to whoever would listen: "Careful planning will always beat rushed actions!"

"Careful planning, without experience, is wasted."  Leshanna says with a nod.  "Though it is correct that we need to plan as we go, sitting here, without any real information to make plans with, would be wasted time."