Rain listens to the conversation between Marcel and Brother Maynard and breaks in, saying, "I am used to fighting in melee." She brandishes her battleaxe. "I would be happy to train with you, Marcel, as your sister in battle." She discusses tactics and practices with him. She isn't sure that she'll be as intimidating or adept at grappling, but she gives it a try.

Stealth: 20

Attack with advantage from Help: 16

Grapple: 21

Intimidation: 14

As her first ride on one of the lizard creatures went suprisingly well, Jiali is enthusiastic about the opportunity to try again and happily joins the practive.

Animal handling:17

And though she does not dance herself, she is also particularly , interested in the dance and the responses Pod and Bongo seem to get from the sourunding wildlife. She will cast detect magic one evening to see if any kind of magic is involved into this ritual.

Concerned for the safty of her spell components, books and scrolls, she asks Bongo to show her how to make a waterproof case for her more sensitive belongings.

When Marcel asks fot a brother/sister, she pales for a second imagining herself at the front line amongst people in heavy armor who are stabbing each other. 

 "NoNoNo! Don't even look in my direction. If we get into combat, I''ll be far from where you are. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to insult you Marcel, but I think it is in all of our best interest when I keep myselfe as far from the frontline as possible. " 

Marcel happily receives Rain's answer. "My unit would make new recruits have a brother in arms, for combat and survival. When you have someone you can depend for good and bad, anything is possible. Welcome to the pack, sister Rain!" Marcel hand's Rain a token of friendship, a piece of tuft of wolf skin, a symbol used by the members of the former unit of marines that Marcel used to work, as he explains. "We hunt, we live, we fight like wolf's now, and we are family from this point foward!"

Marcel's response to Jiali: " No problem. We do this so that you guys support us on the frontline either with arrows or mighty magic." and he does a thumbs up in her direction, that no harm was done.

Rain accepts the wolf's fur token and grasps Marcel's arm in comradeship, saying, "The wolf is an unusual symbol for a catfolk like me, but the pride and the pack are not so different. Thank you."

To Jiali, she says, "We all have our place on the battlefield, none particularly safe, I imagine. I look forward to seeing what you can do. My guess is that you have power beyond simple fire-starting."

Jiali flushes again, assuming an almost purpelish color when Marcel mentions her abilities.

"I...uhm well... I think I have a few arcane tricks up my sleeves but I'm a bit out of practice and what I frequently use is very convinient but I wouldn't call it very powerful. I hope with a little bit of research and training i can learn more of the secrets of the arcane."

Marcel: "Then keep pratice. We only get better with work and experience. To unlock the very best in us, with always moral compass that guides us on the right path, cause with great power.." and he get's lost in thought, thinking to himself..then he says:"what did the master would say?..."

Otwin has been training with the lizards for about two weeks before he couldn't stomach anymore.

Curious and interested in knowledge, Otwin cautiously approaches Pod to ask a book about the culture of where they are going. He'd love to sit and happily read for hours if he could. If Pod cannot direct him to any books, Otwin will join the others' practice because he wants to help the team out.

The routine in the campground starts to grow more regular and orderly.  A cooking fire and hot drink in the morning serve to gather everyone together for the morning activity and training.  The training seems to grow more connected as Bongo explains how an escort team will help deliver the products from the farm to locations inside of Port Nyanzaru.  He tells you each escort team has one lizard rider, and three people on foot.  He tells you about their standard escort formation for delivering expensive products, with two people walking some distance ahead of the rider, making sure the way is clear, and one person following the rider a short distance on foot, making sure the way is clear.  The products are kept in saddle bags on the riding lizards, and they will race back to the farm if anything goes wrong.  Bongo explains that if the wrong people know what you are carrying, you might become a target, so you will have to learn how to wear local clothing and not stand out.  He offers to provide specially made Chultan Studded Leather if you are on duty, made from dinosaur hide and reinforced with bony plates in some places and vented against overheating in other places. “Then you will look like one of the local security guards, eh?  And not draw too much attention.”  Bongo says this last phrase with a touch of bored frustration...”eh? You can always tell who is a tourist around here, you know?”

Bongo always ends the morning activities and sets up his rain-catcher right before the daily torrential downpour soaks everything around noon.  The rain doesn’t usually last very long, and is usually followed by intense sun.  The heat of the afternoon makes any activity almost unbearable (requires DC 10 constitution check or gain exhaustion), and Bongo uses this time to rest.  A steamy fog continually rises out of the jungle, and if there weren’t for a nice breeze blowing in off the Bay of Chult, the campground would be uncomfortable.

Rust is attempting to eat all iron items that you own, unless magical or meticulously oiled and kept dry.  This is not a place for books either, but Bongo tells you that the Bossman has a wonderful book collection, somewhere inside the farm, and there are a few temples on the delivery route that have great libraries.

The evening cooking fire summons everyone after the sun goes down, and before Bongo begins playing the drums tonight he says that there will be two escort teams, each carrying different products.  They will have different routes, but will meet up at certain rally points to check in with each other, before returning back to the farm.  He wants you to try to form two separate teams.  Each team gets 2 or 3 walkers and 1 rider.  The plan is to run the deliver route without merchandise first, then return to the farm.  If all goes well, then Bongo will notify the Bossman, and everyone get’s paid.  After that you get a day free to go spend your money in Port Nyanzaru.  Then he starts drumming the night away.

Brother Maynard is interested in acquiring a Chultan shield and armor, to blend in with the environment. He will share his opinion on team composition, certainly not from experience or authority but just to get the conversation going.

”Eyes in front and in back. Best perception in front, next best in back. Heavy hitter in front. Best animal handler and possibly slowest of foot to be the rider. A spooked Stella might never make it back to the farm.”

Animal Handling: 18

Marcel offer's to be the rider for one of the patrols, since he has experience haldling mounts, and showed good chemestry with the lizard mount.

"I could also do the front escort, so if there's someone who can do better than me on the lizard, just say."

Constitution check for activities during the day, he takes the axes he as and try to keep them as safe from the rust as possible with rags convering them up, to keep them dry with leafs on top to make a waterproof skin on them. He also fashion a guard armor but light, as he can depend on himself for dodging or taking the hits himself.

Survival:13

Constitution check:13 

Nolla would accept one of the sets of studded leather armor.

She would rest during the afternoon as well, though soft music could be heard coming from ehr tent during that time as well.

She would suggest she is one of the scouts, as that is one of her specialities.

 Encouraged by how well the riding training went, Jiali says:

"I would volunteer for riding one of the Lizards. I would not feel comfortable being the lone rear guard and I think I would be of most use in the center of a formation."

When Bongo mentions armor, Jiali will pass on the offer, as the thought of squeezing herself into a rigid, heavy and hot piece of leather is being repulsive to her.

"I think armor would hamper me far too much for being beneficial, but the idea of blending in is good. You don't happen to have some clothes that would make me look ...just...more local?"

"Hmmm..." says Rain thoughtfully. "I'm not reliably good at lookout or handling these riding lizards. I can bust heads pretty well, though. Maybe I could be one of the front two and ready to defend the team? If so, it sounds like we have two riders, Jiali and Marcel. Nolla can be one of our lookouts in front and I can defend. Brother Maynard, Otwin, Amodius, do any of you feel that you would do well as a lookout in front of the second group?" 

She also requests some Chultan studded leather (and shield if that is recommended and possible). And she watches Bongo carefully to make sure she sets up her rain catcher correctly.

Brother Maynard responds, “I will take any position in the party to help.”

Amodius is happy with any role, though like Jiali he would prefer to be far from the front lines.

He accepts the offer of armor, as his dislike of the heat is quickly overshadowed by his rather strong survival instinct triggered amidst talk of battle and combat. He passes on a shield though, as at the moment he needs two hand to adequately cast his spells, perhaps he should train more in that regard.

Rain gathers up some small stones and scratches rough letters on them: N, R, J, A, M, M, and O. She lays them out on the ground and says, "Okay, we have Jiali as rider in group one. Maybe Nolla and I can take the front and Amodius the rear." She arranges the stone to represent the travel party. "Then the second group will have Otwin in front, Marcel riding, and Brother Maynard in the rear." She sits back to let the others consider the formation. "We can make adjustments if anyone sees a better way to divide up."

Later, Rain pulls Marcel aside and says, "Wolf Brother, I hope to fight with you soon, but I think our strength needs to be divided between these two groups."

"Wolf Sister, when the pack needs us to divide, who are we to disobey? Ha! Just be carefull out there in the jungle, I still need you!"

Brother Maynard is happy with the party breakdown and has been spending more time in prayer lately. He feels sufficiently acclimated to the jungle and has been sleeping well. His dreams comfort him with omens of Lathander’s blessings.

(OOC: please confirm which will be provided, Chultan Studded Leather (AC 12), Chultan Shield, spear, healing potions and/or kits)

Otwin looked longingly at the armor, but his monk nature ultimately decided against it. He decides to follow Jiali in acquiring local clothes, rather than armor.

He then looked over Rain's plan and nodded. 

"It won't be easy, but I think I can try scanning and perceiving things well from the front."

"Works for me."  Nolla also agrees with the groups.