(Sorry, but can you explain what happens here? Was Xanranzan oblivious to what Kethra was doing? I've had to read it, walk away and read it again but I still don't think I've got it. I'm so dumb sometimes.)

(He was was initially oblivious, which then became confusion at the rest of the spiel. But he at least eventually caught up on most of it. He also didn't accept the loaf of bread due to that came confusion unless its kind of thrown or shoved at him, in case that matters.)

Quote from Mehmen >>

(He was was initially oblivious, which then became confusion at the rest of the spiel. But he at least eventually caught up on most of it. He also didn't accept the loaf of bread due to that came confusion unless its kind of thrown or shoved at him, in case that matters.)

(lol, well played)

Quote from Mehmen >>

Unfortunately, whether out of politeness, hesitation, or something else altogether, he failed to answer before the littler barbarian is continues speaking of secrets, hangriness, and more. But a few seconds after Kethra has pulled her hood over her face, a small smile worms its way into being while the genasi reached out to pet her head. "Sorry 'bout all that. Sometimes I have these, uh... moments, I guess you can call them. Timez my brain gets a little stuck on the one thought or other, and I might miss important bitz. And I've gotten kind of used to just catching up wherever I 'come to' at, and uh... mn... well, hope what I missed weren't nuthin' too important." He smiled sheepishly. "But uh, I could'a sworn I mentioned where when yaw'll first found me. But looks not. So, to, uh... answer yer question. Technically I'm from Phandalin, which is a ways south and west from here, I think. But more than that, uh... I'm sorry. I can hardly think straight right now. Mind if hold this off 'til the morning?"  

Kethra gives a little gasp of surprise at first, her face still buried deep in her hood. She peeks out, and finishes nibbling on her food.

"Sheesh! I'm...I'm going to go help Rubin find a campsite, okay?" However, she doesn't seem like her mind is entirely there.

Xanranzan awkwardly nods but still manages a thankful smile as well. "I can only say that I wish you luck with that one... eheh.. and uh... yea." He looks away from Kethra on that note, scratching the back of his head.

Rubin finds a nice, homely campsite filled with plenty of nice, sharp rocks to sleep on.

(Where are you all heading now?)

(Womford!)

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

Rubin finds a nice, homely campsite filled with plenty of nice, sharp rocks to sleep on.

(Where are you all heading now?)

 (Just like home for Xanranzan! Good thing he never refilled in those recesses in his back and head! But yes! To wormford!)

(Agree with above.)

It’s a full days journey to Womford, and you arrive just before dusk falls.  Womford is a tiny village, just one street and a dock on the Desarin River.The locals appear to be in the middle of barring their windows and doors, although they don’t seem to look at you with an unusual amount of distrust.

Like a liquid rising out of the shadows, a hooded figure appears between the two Womford refugees rescued from Rivergard Keep. She grabs the refugees one in each arm, exposing Kethra's mischevious face behind the mysterious person.

"Okay you two!" Kethra brings them both closer in a friendly gesture, "So NOW we got you out of that place, safely brought you all the way home and we even put up with sleeping on those stupid rocks JUST for you!

"SO now it's your turn! Is there a local lord or I don't know...a neighborhood watch or something that you could report your situation to?"

While talking, she slowly turns them to face the rest of the party for a huddle. With her arms still around the two refugees she nods to the villagers securing their doors and windows. 

"At least these people know that something's going on, unlike the clueless people at the big city. Don't underestimate us small villages, right?"

(I feel I should note—Red Larch is definitely not a big city.)

They both shake their heads.

"We told you, we’re not from here."

"Yea, I.. I weren't pay'n too much attention towards the end there, I think? But, I don't think said that either." Xanranzan adds and shrugs. "Still! Place looks relatively safe. But, if they've boarded up like this, safe to say they've at least had to deal with them same folk we did. And if it means protect'n themselves, they'll probably, uh... what's the Water Plane say for it again, uh...Sell us up the creek to save their scales?" His brows become almost knitted as he appears to seriously try to recall the phrase, before just shrugging and giving up on it.

"Either way, probably shouldn't stick in any village too close to the river fer too long. But that said, uh... what's the plan again from here? Where you two were hoping to get to again?" The last question he directs to the rescued forced laborers.

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

(Sorry, must have forgotten to hit post.  Should have made this clearer as I contradicted myself, the servant isn’t from Womford—his caravan was.  That’s on me.)

(To avoid exhaustion, you would have to rest before the town.)

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

They both shake their heads.

"We told you, we’re not from here."

Kethra quickly turns a deep shade of red. "Sorry! B-But your caravan was IN Womford and you did do business here...right? And Mr. Tyde is right, you would still know where to find someone to report your caravan being attacked, since a humble village such as this would certainly not like having a local caravan being raided, right? And do you have a local contact here as well? Come to think of it....what kind of stuff did your caravan deal with, anyways?"

(Yeah, I totally forgot sorry.)

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

(I feel I should note—Red Larch is definitely not a big city.)

(...but yeah, Kethra is a small village girl who's been overwhelmed by the size of Red Larch from the start, though ^^)

Quote from Mehmen >>

"Either way, probably shouldn't stick in any village too close to the river fer too long."

Kethra raises a finger to object, stops for a moment and nods her head. "Xanranzan, that is a scary and I don't really want to believe that....BUT we did see one of those cultists turn into a snake made of water right before we broke you out..."

She stops, mimics Tyde and starts loosening her shoulder and says a bit more quietly, "Wherever we're staying, we're setting watches for the night. And whoever is on watch is going to have a very loud noisemaker, alright?"

"Where did you stay when you came through town here?" Rubin asks the refugees. "Anyone in town you know, or should we just start asking the locals for directions." He aims the last at the others of his group.

Xanranzan eyes become as wide as saucers at the mention of a snake made of water. But then strangely enough, the look turns pensive as he thumbs his chin. "... Actually, that doesn't sound as bad as I thought. I MEAN it's still terrible, but it ain't no living tornado or bird person, so it could be worse." He says, shrugs, and then belatedly nods about the noisemaker before gesturing to the blades at his hip. "I know -just- the right song to wake even the dead." At that, he looks along with the others to the rescued pair.

He shrugs.

"Don;t really remember, I’m sure there’s an inn somewhere."

Quote from Mehmen >>

Xanranzan eyes become as wide as saucers at the mention of a snake made of water. But then strangely enough, the look turns pensive as he thumbs his chin. "... Actually, that doesn't sound as bad as I thought. I MEAN it's still terrible, but it ain't no living tornado or bird person, so it could be worse." He says, shrugs, and then belatedly nods about the noisemaker before gesturing to the blades at his hip. "I know -just- the right song to wake even the dead." At that, he looks along with the others to the rescued pair.

Kethra stares at her Xanranzan as a comrade-in-arms and shows him her own little makeshift noisemaker, which funnily enough was made up of parts of the very same weapon she had initially offered to his old companion, Sorak.

"Right, they'll never get the jump on us now!" with an awkward crack of her voice it becomes obvious that she sounds a little too enthusiastic at the thought of getting some rest on a bed somewhere and not with some sharp rocks.

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

He shrugs.

"Don;t really remember, I’m sure there’s an inn somewhere."

Following Xanranzan's stare at "the rescued pair", she gives them an unamused look at their lack of gratefulness.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go find an inn. I want to get a soft bed, last night was terrible."

You manage to find a small, dingy inn.  The proprietor looks at you suspiciously, but grudgingly lets you in.

(What do you plan on doing in the morning?)

The next morning Rubin comes down to see what he can find for breakfast in this inn, as well as to meet with the others to try to decide next steps.