(@Hriste - ah yep, sorry. I forgot we were playing this rule. All good.)

To recapitulate the state of affairs, for anyone who needs it, most of the party is in or just outside Ekuepool, while Aluzira is in Steepgulch, about three leagues directly to the south. If I'm not mistaken, her plan this morning seems to be to head back north to the city's main gate. 

Tarek, Torrent, and Ulben are in Rowan's' quarters at the city's militia's barracks in Yet Valley, the ward of the city that houses the Ekuepudlian militia.

Fluin is at his own place elsewhere in the city.

And Anakis and Rowan seem to have met up just outside Wuft Hill Gate. On your way out, Rowan, one of the guardsmen currently on duty (not the same one you spoke to last night) questions where you're headed as a matter of routine, with the purpose of levying a toll on anyone intending to travel the Cursed Passage. 

As a member of the Ekuepudlian militia, Rowan, you're aware that the city watch is different from the city guard, which are both different from the city militia. The watch is a professional civilian police force, administered by the city "Reeve", primarily responsible for keeping order among the citizens inside the city. The guard is comprised of mercenaries hired directly by Lord Guernot and is charged with manning the city's walls and main gate, and guarding other important locations within Ekuepool such as the Lord's palace. It's also sometimes mobilized by the Lord for police actions within the city. The militia, of which you're a member, is a body of volunteer professional soldiers that patrols the countryside surrounding Ekuepool, Steepgulch, and other outlying inhabited areas to which Lord Guernot lays claim.

Rowan nods in understanding.

”When I was younger, I had a habit of running around the city streets alone. I met a friend out there who didn’t have anywhere else to go. Shanisse was her name. Shanisse was an orphan who lived off of begging and even stealing when needed. My parents couldn’t afford to keep her with us, but I would do odd jobs for people in the market to give Shanisse something to help.” Rowan’s eyes go distant for a moment, “One day, there was an incident. Shanisse was outside the gate playing, when something from the swamp got her. We never found a trace of Shanisse.” Rowan stares into the swamp in a daze for a moment, there seems to be a reddish glow in her eyes for a moment before she snaps back to the present, smiling at Anakis, “You remind me of her. She was always so sweet and kind, but smart and quick enough to keep everyone on their toes.”

"I have friends in Steepgulch that I grew up on the streets with." Anakis replies as her mind wanders to thoughts of her friends, but she quickly snaps back to the present. "That's why I'm here. I want to help them becuase no one else wants to help us orphans."

Anakis pauses a moment. (If Rowan & Anakis start heading back to the gate to find the others, then she'll blurt out) "You know I could have taken that guard. She was mean, but there were too many of them. But she was never going to catch me, I'm too quick. If I were home, she'd never have a chance of finding me. I was gonna freeze her, and then I thought about throwing some fire at her face..." Anakis will babble on about her overnight encounters the whole way back to Rowan's apartment.

Tarek rises just before dawn to offer up prayers to Pelor, as is his routine. He munches down the breakfast set for him by Rowan, and heads out into the streets of Ekuepool as the sun rises. He will stop and mingle with a few of the merchants and market-goers before meeting Rowan just inside the city gate.

Yeah, Aluzira will head to the city gates.  She has her backpack so that will bring her speed to 20.

Ulben wakes early and makes breakfast for anyone who wants it.  While making the sausage and prepping the eggs Ulben accidently pours the sausage juice into the eggs, and knocks done spices off a shelf and into the eggs. Once Ulben is done cooking and eating he will head to the gates, on his way he falls into a cart knocking a Gnome woman's wears to the ground.

Torrent wakes up and helps clean up after the mess of the breakfast.  "It's a... unique flavor.  Not bad.  I appreciate your hospitality."  Torrent then follows him out to the gates, ready to start treking through the Bog.

Aluzira, as you walk through Steepgulch, you notice the hovel of a resident of the hamlet that you had forgotten about, Mistress Elicia, a striking young woman who, it is said, knows the secrets of making potions and antitoxins. She has attended a few of your performances at the local tavern and is sometimes seen taking her products to market in the city where she can sell them at full value. The residents of Steepgulch aren't the sort who can afford such things, so she doesn't advertise her skills locally, but perhaps her residence in the hamlet was why you thought of looking for potions here in the first place, instead of in the city? From the smoke rising from her chimney, she appears to be at home.

Tarek, the marketplace is a bustle of activity with everyone setting up their stalls after having been rained out the day before. As you pass by, two merchants are arguing about which one of them gets to set up his stall in one of the last spaces remaining, and tempers are beginning to flare.

Ulben, the gnome gasps, "Ah, you big, clumsy fool! Why don't you watch where you're going? You've ruined the biscuits I made to sell in the market, and I don't have the money to buy more ingredients!"

Torrent, on your way through the marketplace, you can see many products on display that have their origin in the bog. Woodworkers and cabinetmakers sell items made from bog-harvested trees as well as preserved wood pulled out of the bog itself. Farmers sell produce grown on land taken from the bog. Fishermen sell fish and shellfish extracted from the bog, and hunters sell the meats of wild animals they caught there. Trappers as well display caged animals they trapped in the bog, and furriers ply winter coats, hats, and other items made from their pelts. Baskets of blueberries, cranberries, cloudberries, huckleberries, and lingonberries harvested wild in the bog invite passersby to enjoy their sweetness. And most notable are the stacks of dried peat being sold for fuel, cut out of the bog itself by the peat gatherers. All of these things taken from the bog, and nothing given back in return. 

"I am clumsy.  And sorry, please allow me to do two things. Here is a gold to help you but more ingredients.  Also I am something off a cook myself, perhaps when I have some time I Could come over and aid you in baking biscuits."

"Elicia!"  Says Aluzira to herself remembering why she thought there were potions in Steep Gulch.  Seeing the smoke rising from the chimney, she walks over to Elicia's home and knocks on the door.

Torrent passes through the marketplace with growing distaste.  His normally easygoing manner starts slipping as he sees the continued waste and theft from the Bog.  "No wonder the Bog's risin' up against the towns.  This waste is throwin' the area into as much imbalance as anything the Bog is doing to y'all."  Torrent grumbles to himself.  "One problem at a time.  One problem at a time."

Tarek, noticing the two merchants arguing, stops in his tracks and tries to talk to them. "Sorry to intrude on this conversation," he tells them. "I'm sure we can find a better way to solve this problem than by arguing about it. Maybe you two can share a stall today, or maybe one of you can set up his stall here in the morning, and the other can take his place later in the day." (Persuasion: 9)

Fluin gets up and heads out to meet up with the others at the gate right away in the morning.

Anakis, while you and Rowan are talking outside the gate, a wagon laden with baskets full of berries, a particular delicacy of mice, stops within arm's reach for a moment as the blue-fingered driver pays the guard a duty to bring the berries in to the marketplace.

Ulben, take a point of Inspiration for living up to your ideal of Generosity. The young baker gnome's pupils dilate at the prospect of you baking for her, although she still seems put off by your collision with her cart. Make a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check with disadvantage to see if she accepts your offer or continues to be displeased with you.

Aluzira, a quiet, retiring woman's voice comes from within. "Hello? Can I help you?" it says as the door is cracked open, revealing a space bare of most possessions, except for a cauldron bubbling over a fire in the center of the room and pots full of various herbs scattered about. A dignified young woman with a mischievous grin on her face steps dramatically into the doorway. "Oh, it's you!" she says. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Tarek, the two merchants seem satisfied with your sensible proposals and set about helping each other unload their merchandise.

Fluin, on your way to Wuft Hill, you pass through Prupt North, the ward of the Merchants’ Guild, and catch up with Tarek in the marketplace. The two merchants have begun to argue again because one of the merchants needs more than half the space to lay out all the glassware he is trying to sell, and the other merchant has already set appointments throughout the entire day to meet with clients who wish to choose from her selection of dyed cloth. The first merchant wants the entire stall space for half the day, while the second merchant wants to split the stall space for the whole day. Not wanting to argue any longer, they agree to abide by whatever solution to their problem Fluin might offer. 

Ulben Persuasion check 7

Forgot about disadvantsge 4

Well she hates Ulben.

Anakis tries to grab some berries quickly to give Custard (Sleight of Hand : 7).

If she fails and is seen, she'll quickly try to deflect, holding up Custard as if she had just caught the mouse, "You had a mouse amongst your berries, mister! But don't worry, I got him, see?" (Deception : 22)

Aluzira smiles as Elicia greets her.  "Hi, I was on my way to the city gates when I saw you were home.  Torrent, the druid who comes by here has gathered a small group of people to help tame the bog.  I was wondering if perhaps you had any health potions or antitoxins I could buy before we set out.  I have some gold or clothes if you want to make a trade?"  She starts absentmindedly fiddling with her flute. 

"Seems like the easiest answer is you both use the full space for the full day."  Fluin says with a shrug.  "One of you lay out your cloth on the tables, and let the other put the glassware on top of the cloth."  He nods to them.  "Seems it will do both of you good, since it would make both items look that much more interesting as they show the other off.  I'd just make sure the cloth have more samples you can pull out from under the table, so people aren't pulling the cloth out from under the glassware..."  With that he nods to them again and continues on his way.  He wonders to himself why people would stop a huge brute like him to ask questions like this, but shrugs it off as he continues to the meeting point.

Ulben, the gnomish baker-woman, immaculate in her white baker's clothes, looks down at the biscuits strewn on the ground, some of which are now being trampled by market-goers. "Keep your gold," she says. "I'd never let a great ox like you into my kitchen. The Bakers' Guild will hear of this. Mark my word!" She picks up her cart and wheels it away.

Anakis, take a point of Inspiration. The guard and the wagon driver both notice you nabbing the berries. "Hey, put those back and get away from my wagon, varmint!" exclaims the driver. She turns to the guard and asks, "Does the city now allow thieves to loiter at the gate?"

"Oh look," says the guard when she sees Custard. "She has a mouse! What a cute little fella!" Anakis, what do you hope to accomplish with your ruse?

Fluin, you too earn a point of Inspiration for having a simple, direct solution to the merchants' problem. They happily agree to it because they see your brute strength as a sign that the gods favor your judgement.

Meanwhile in Steepgulch, Elicia considers Aluzira's proposal. "I don't have any antitoxin at the moment, but I was just brewing a potion of healing to take to Ekuepool to sell in the market," she says, gesturing to the cauldron on the fire. "Selling it to you here will save me a trip, so perhaps we can make a deal. What kind of clothes are we talking about, and how much gold do you have? The materials alone are quite expensive."