He reaches out his hand to stop her from walking and makes eye contact as he says, "Then it's true. My visions were true. What is going on is much bigger than you realize, but," and his voice gets real low, "Kruphix showed me a snake skin and a nyx fleece pelt. He told me my enchanting services would be needed to craft a map for his chosen envoys. I don't know what this map shows, but he showed me how to craft it."

Damara takes the hand he reached out with into her own, awkwardly patting the back of it and responding in Leonin, "Where the Gods are involved, little would surprise me. Let us go to your shop, where it is quiet, yes?"

He nods in appreciation and acknowledgement. He then leads you all back to his shop.

Once you are all inside he closes the door, locks it, and draws the shades.

"May I have the pelt, please? I don't know where this journey will lead, but I do know that it is one we must set out on."

Damara carefully pulls out the pelt, passing it over to Neskaryn, then reaching into her pack and pulling out the large swath of skin from the snake as well. "I had, intended, to give you this earlier. Things, happened, as they are wont to." She pulls out the gem and the javelin while she's at it. "I was also, hoping, that you would know, what these are."

He looks at the gem and focuses: 18.

"This," he says, "is a blue sapphire elemental gem. It's rather uncommon, but not necessarily rare. It contains a mote of elemental energy. You can use it to conjure an air elemental. It only works once, though. So, be mindful of when you use it."

Then, looking at the javelin, he focuses again: 8.

"This is also a useful find, I'm sure. It's a javelin of lightning. When you hurl it and speak its command word, it transforms into a bolt of lightning. The lightning bolt will turn back into a javelin when it reaches the target. This javelin's magic rejuvenates each morning, at dawn, as the sun rises." 

He slides both the gem and the javelin back across his counter to Damara.

"The map will take me about a week to craft properly. I'll get it to you as soon as I'm done."

Moneo realizes this may be the first time he’s been around this many like minded followers in a long while. Though uncommon, Kruphix’ name may be called out on ship occasionally, yet to find this group here, at this time. For now he decides it is time to uncharacteristically remain quiet and watch and listen. It seems his calling has finally come.

Caradoc stretches his arms up over his head.

”I don’t know about any of this,” and he waved his hands dismissively, “stuff.” 
He shrugs. “But I have so few opportunities to feel this much excitement. It’s amazing. I’ve slain monsters!”

Damara hums a bit at the enthusiasm but otherwise stands quietly, looking at the items in her hands. After a moment, she holds them out, the [magicitem[Javelin of Lightning[/magicitem] in the general direction of Aeneas and Caradoc, and the sapphire elemental gem in front of Moneo. "I will, likely, make poor use of, these."

Caradoc waves off the items and hefts his crossbows. “These are my needs.”

“This is certainly an interesting little gem.” Moneo says, taking it and tossing it a few inches up before snatching it from the air and putting it into a small pocket in his vest. “So... shall we all meet back here in a week to see what our friend will have created for us? I know I could use a rest, and a few drinks, after what just happened... and what might be happening...” Though it’s clear that he’s back in good spirits, there is a small tremble in Moneo’s voice for those listening closely enough to catch showing that he’s more than a little nervous about whatever task Kruphix may have sent. Unsure he’s actually up to the task...

"That would not, be ill advised." Damara says. "I, will likely spend my, time, training. At the, training field. If any of you, wish to join me, I would... not be averse to the, uh, company." Her voice drops low at the last part, as though nervous at making a social overture. At that she nods to Neskaryn and quickly turns to leave, intent on washing herself and her clothing and double checking her supplies before dinner.

Damara spends the next week as she intended. In the mornings she would rise early to eat and prepare, then she'd either scout about the immediate area of the fort or curl up in her favored spot in Neskaryns shop for a while, followed by most of her day in some form of physical training. Sprints, distance running, strength training and weapons practice. In the evenings, after washing and eating, she would sit for a few hours in meditation.

Over the next few days, Moneo often shows up to the training field, though usually around mid morning at the earliest, at which point Damara (and others?) has already worked up a sweat. He often came carrying a small wine skin filled with a light day beer. He didn’t come to join in the physical training, but instead sits down by a tree, pulls out his pen, and starts writing, often talking aloud. He’s working on inspiring speeches, as he feels his words will be far more useful than his brawn, and the others have that covered anyway. ‘Friends, Akrosians, Countrymen!’ ‘Six Score and 13 years ago...’ ‘I had a dream...’ the last one connects deep with the others as well... and as they listen to his words while they train they often feel bardically inspired, giving them a small boost in their daily training. He’s getting to know more about the others, as well as get himself ready for the ordeal he feels is coming... though still finds himself at a loss for why he was chosen, if it was a choosing, he’s ready. Or so he tells himself.

Caradoc works on some precision shooting, pushing his accuracy to its utmost. 

You are going about your business over the course of the next few days. Aeneas had been joining Damara in training in the afternoons. On the third day, in the afternoon between lunch and dinner, while Damara and Aeneas are training, Moneo is monologuing, and Caradoc is shooting, you start to notice a flow of townspeople heading towards the southern entrance to the town where they've begun to form a crowd. You can't see what they're staring at. 

Seemingly out of nowhere, you hear an ominous disembodied voice. It sounds like a viper's voice on the wind. It says:

At the gates, they will come, 
to terrorize and feed;
On the ground, you will stay, 
in a lump where you'll bleed.

Up to now you have mocked
The one true Master
With r'bellious deeds
Your end comes faster

In a fortnite this outpost
will falter and fall;
unless to Mogis 
you turn one and all. 

I have come with this word
of redemption and warning; 
Come to me," he says, 
"Or face death on that morning.

Then, from the direction that the crowd has formed, you see what looks like a whirlwind of red smoke rising up in a column from the ground and slowly reaching up towards the sky. After a moment, it starts to disappear from the bottom, following the path upwards until it's gone. 

The townspeople are all murmuring and chattering. All of them aware of the ominous tone of the message, but not really sure what it even means.

Damara sniffs contemptuously, eyes narrowing. "Scare tactic. Seems... desperate." She stretches, popping her neck. "Still, I don't doubt those who would, invoke the Slaughter God, will hesitate, to try and carry out, the threat."

 Following along with his 3 new human companions towards the gate Moneo nods in agreement at Damara's words. "That seems very likely friend. Those who follow fire and death will have no qualms to bring the same to this outpost. Seems bad strategy though... to give a warning. A full fortnight to prepare seems quite generous. Shall we be off to the captain of the guard?"

The four of you turn to head back towards the fort, but before you get there, you see Captain Gaias coming out to greet you already. 

"I'm assuming everyone heard the voice, yes?" He's looking around while addressing you all. He's watching the people as they walk to and fro, trying to assess whether or not they're panicking.

“Seems we may be needed again.” Moneo says, a little bit cocky in his confidence. “We must give confidence to the people of this outpost. We will not cave to wanton death and destruction. The other gods will protect us; though we need to show strength.”

"Agreed," Gaias says. "Help me gather the people in the town center. I'll address everyone in an hour."