((this  will be  for LAther River  as Kree's  group  moves...))

Once everyone is  aboard,  Bronzefist's ship   leaves, The Swimming Stone, starts to catch the   wind, and the ship  sails   out to the  Middle of  the  River...

 The Breaker   is  still loading goods   and exchanging coin Della Waves to her  partner  as the Dwarf's ships   begins to  Move.. Further up  river, The All Wind, is    tacking  against the breeze to move towards Merchant's  landing another  ship seems to  be ready to leave the  Plains Elf docks  as well.

  Bronzefist watched the water lookign  for how the serpents  are  acting,..the water beasties are active.. sign of  storm, to be sure... I'd Like  to get soem nice  sized  serpent to  drop of  for trade at  the trace landing..., Not  today though... we'll see how  we fare through tonight;'s  run, then  we  kin  try to bag some  in the morn,.. if  we travel all night, we kin cut a whole day off the trip.. save ye  time, and  me  some coin..

 Kree nOds  as he looks over the railin,..Your Ship VAptain, as long  as i get to where i needs go?.. I am  fine.

   Orlin looks at the serpents, remembering their previous fishing expedition his stomach growls.  He looks down at it "You don't get a vote in this."

Niphre headed onboard the ship, wondering where they were going now.

   Form the main MAst, a Look outshouts  down from teh crow's nest...There's  riders on the   western shore!

 Kree  moves to the   starboard  side  to looks on  with Bronzefist...The  Dwarf   climbs up to the   Stern  , looking out over the  river  with  a  spyglass.

 ..Sand Folk riders...maybe...20?... They seems  to  be  keeping pace  with us... not gonna  do them much good? 'less  them horse  can swim and  fight serpents..

  "And yet there is a reason they follow us, perhaps knowing something we don't."

While Krwyn tests his bow again and checks his arrows, he questions eagerly: "Do we get some shots!"

  Kree  glared  across the water.....They are sand folk..if  you ever  have a shot at them, you take  it..but they are   well out of  range.. we will have to  see  as they come to a bend in the shore...

  The Swimming Stone Cruised  past the   torch lights of the  wharf at the  Plains  Elves  Grotto.. It appears the Palins  elves  were talking    a Look at Merchant's Landing, and were  putting  up  stone Walls.. the taller  walls were now  facing the river.  as they built up  wals  around the outside market.. Adding a GAte to the   south east  towards the plains between Tou and The Black Timber, and on to the North east   facing   Trace...Rocks  chips  were  being used  there, as well to make a  road  to the  Merchants  road  near Trace Wood  landing.

  The   Plains Elves  with thier  dwarven and Gnomish friends, Han plenty o Rock to  work  with, from the  cable systems. It was   plain to see  the walls  were  being built   for war, in case  Tou decided they didn't like the   new  flow or merchandise.

   Orlin looks at the structure of the plains elves,   “Well if the dwarves can’t build a quarry near the merchants landing maybe they can trade and run barges of stone from here,” ha wrinkles his face, “ wouldn’t be very practical though.”
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:54, Fri 01 Nov 2019.

  Nearing  Monks  that would be on the starboard  side of the ship, they can see the   western most wall had fallen into the  quay where there  massive 'pirate' ship, hand been burned to the waterline..

   Kree  called the   Arrows  over  as they  took turns  with the spyglass.. the   outter  wall gone , crashing into the    remains of the ship , making that section of the  wall, look like a honey comb. The Merchant Lords Homes were  blackened inside... some still had  wisps  of  smoke.. there seemed to be no hurry to  rebuild the wall, but the   workers  were goign in and out of the main  gate  , with stone and wood..there were no guards at the gate.

 As the others   took turns to   loo, Kree said,..The Merchant  Lords  must have  perished, been killed by the town, or have run off...There are still  some  goodly items in those   open  aired  rooms..one has to wonder, if  the guards  are keeping people out of the Merchants Lords Quarter, or.. if the people are just rebuilding thier part, and will loot it later...

 Bronzefist   chuckles,..ye  folks  did a right  and nasty thing there... but the River is all the better fer it...

 There was a chuckle,..My plan was to burn a couple of the merchant vLords  homes.. and Kill a few of the higher ups...and..to break the  leadership of the Beggars Guild  , so they could get  leadership that didn bow and scrape to the Lords... But a few of my  comrades  deciieded to ruin what plans there  were,. and the rest came down to  Etta and Netta ...I must say?  this was better... I would have like to have stole  the ship though, Give it  to  Engar or  Mouri  for thie  Navy.. would have  made  a  heafty sum on that.

 Ivy shakes his head,..Myra..Justin?.. ahh well...  they say that plans are merely a way, for  the gods  to know what to do, to make your life hard!

   another hour  or  so , The Ship  pulled  close to the Landing    Ramps  were set  for the  unloading of goods  heading into the Trace  wood

  wagons were l unloaded    for   Good  the ship  would  be taking to Voll… Bronze  Fist was  taking  coin and givign some back as  goods  were exchanged.

  Kree  and his people came  down, One , by one, mixed in with the Crew and the merchant folks as the loaded and unloaded  .

  Mikio  stood  with an Young Elf  archer, Brikit ..Those   two  Elves...  The   dark haired  elf  with the  green  , gold flrecked  eyes.. That is Kree Quickshadow.. the  other  who wears  his    hair  down witht eh  band on his  fore head.. is his Cousin, Ivyian Nightblade.. they are the leaders of this Unit of Crimson Arrows... They  are   mixing in witht he  merchants  so they may come into Trace, and find the traitors  in our  own Arrow group, They.. are whom you are to join..perhaps  bring some measure  of  honor back to out  Forest home

As he stands Mikio fishes an apple out of one of his pouches, taking a bite as he says something sideways to Brikit.    Whatever was said is too quiet to carry to the disembarking merchants, crew and mixed in Crimson Arrows, but he seemed to think it was funny enough to give a quick chortle to his own words.

A moment later something else is said to Brikit, again not carrying.   As he speaks a finger on the hand that holds the apple momentarily points out and lingers on Kree before the back of the hand is used to wipe the juice off his face.  His left cheek is fill as he chomps on what appears to be a tasty apple.

He doesn't otherwise move, like Brikit waiting to be approached.

  Aye  , that  would be true. He is  The   Unit  Captain.. once served  in Ironmound's palace  as  the CAptain of the guard..more or less  to sooth thing over  after the  war....

 Caverb guards  are supposed to be armed.... that is  why they are called Carven guards?

Mikio shrugs.  "So his cuzzie would be second in command then, it's not a joint venture thing unless Kree isn't around to issue orders." Mikio continues around the mouthful of apple which is rapidly being consumed.  He keeps talking to Mik as the boatload disembarks and mingles as they sort themselves out."You seem to know them well.  They been here before?"  He looks around briefly as if he was looking for a good place to throw the apple core before he thinks better of it and chucks the whole thing in his mouth.

  The young elf  nods,..they have been to the trace often enough.. saw them In Ironmound  when we go to the  'Walk The PLank" to se if there are any presing contracts

MIkio sort of saunters up to Ivyain, pulling a pipe out of a pouch as he does so, stuffing it full of some sort of tobacco or herbs as he walks.  He makes no move to light it, though he sticks it in the side of his mouth and takes a draw.  "I'm your meet," he says to Ivyain as he draws near.  "Easy crossing was it?"

   The Caravan  workers , make no  move when Mikio  arrives , Most  were from the Trace   Wood  and  have seen, or heard of the creature....Orthers  were  from the ship, who have  sailed up and down the lather  river.

 Ivy looks up at  The newcomer, his eyes shift to  Kree   who is taking  with the fellow in charge of the  caravan. well met, I am  Ivyian Nightblade..didn't meet you non  our  last swing through the  Trace. That was about  2 years ago?... You have one of these? ,Ivy  taps his   little  ruby arrow   pin...

Mikio glances at the little ruby pin, "Nope, he probably does though," he says jacking his thumb back to Birkit without much concern, as he pulls on his pipe.  "Never figured why I'd need one.  You can call me Mikio, what's your tag?"

  The   elf    tries to hid  a frown, as he says...Ivyian  Nightblade... i am Called  Ivy.. or sometimes  ' the other  elf bastard'.. depends on who you talk to..

  Ivy looks an Brikit  and  waves him over.

 ..That's  Kree, he's the  leader of the unit..

 Brikit   walks over  a bit slowly , Ivy   nods his ehad to him, and   the young elf shows  his  arrow..slightly differant then Ivy's  but  still  ruby.

  I image  that  we'l be moving out as soon as the wagons are set.... anyone Know we are Coming?

 ..Only  me and  Him.. and   Vikker... His  LTs   do not even know...

 Vikker is a good   leader, for a human..why did  they send you?

 Brikit shrugs..I am Native  Trace Wood... so they see me around all the time.. and being   the  new guy, I get sent on alot of fetch and Carry?... This fellow   was to tag along, .. Carn  and his Unit  are supposed to be   comign back from  'The Mound" today sometime.. if he has anyone watching, they wouldn't think  anything of me  coming out to meet the caravan.

 Ivy's  brow furrows  at Carn's  name.before the  next two days pass.. there were be a few openings in the Trace Wood Arrows...

 aye... That is what  Vikker  said.

Mikio is mute during the discussion, there was nothing he needed to say.  He puffed on the unlit pipe watching Ivy and Kree in particular.  He paid attention to how the others of the caravan reacted to their directions looking to see what type of leaders they might be by the respect shown to them by the men.  As he wasn't required for anything he looked around for a seat.  On spying food crates on the dock he went and sat down to wait until they were ready to move out, making small talk comments and observations to others as he waited, while still puffing on the pipe.  He made no offer to help, letting the others work around him as he relaxed and waited.

   A Dwarf  was shouting his Orders  to the    crew.. he came  down  . lookign at  Mikio,..Right The.. ya Lazy  lump ya!.. get off  me  cargo , or help to  load it.. dunna be gettin' in the way of honst folks whoa re  working

 Ivy  talked the   Kree  for a Moment,  about teh same Time Bronzefist   snapped  on Mikio ,  Kree looked   at Ivy and    frowned.

 Briskit  was standing  approaching the two elves , well other  Members of the Arrows  went about  thier task of  appearing like help,  by loading wagons, while the caravan folks  secured the cargo.

With a display of poise, unlikely for one dressed as he is, Mikio stands from the crate slowly.  "I wouldn't want to get in the way of honest folk." he grins to the dwarf.  "No, no that wouldn't do."  He moves off a little pipe in one hand, as he fishes the other into his belt to pull out a ceramic hipflask.  With a dexterous thumb, he pops the cork that remains attached to the flask hanging by a cord and taking a swig.  Soon he finds another spot, leaning this time against a post in the sun watching the ship being unloaded and loaded.  He wears a bemused smirk as if he is amused by all the activity about him.

  BronzeFist    grunts   with a shake of his  head,  mumble s something about Giant Kin.

 The Caravan leader   Has   a Crumpled hat, he wears   chainmail Vest with a crossbow  on his back.

 Kree , with Ivy near talk to teh Dwarf  as   the Ship Captain points  northward to the sea, Both he  and  the Caravan Leader  mark thinks down in leather bound  books, they  both sign each others,  and the Dwarf  shouts, Let's  go ye  laggards..    get the  cargo  secured and  ready the   Sails. here  headed  for  Voll.

 the sailors  and the   warriors  they keep    scurried   about  ,  The Dwarf  shook arms  with Kree and Ivy, and then the Caravan Man... the latter  calling to his wagoneers  to  get the    lead  wagons  Moving.

 Kree  Gave    two sharp whistles  for his   folk to come around,... From what i understand,  CArn and his unit  are approaching the   north west  end of the Trace wood...,  they  shoudl arrive   a few hours before  we   arrive  a TraceHome... There will be  alot of folk about, as   CArn is guiding a Caravan from Ironmound as well... people from the  Smaller   Villages  in the Trace will be gathering  to  get the goods  we  are bringing as well as those  from  The Mound.

 Spread out    amoung the  wagons, as we  walk... Brikit.. you take the lead,, any watchers  will note you, Ivy and  Myself  wil be on other side of the wagons..

 casting a Look towards  Mikio,.. You   follow with Orlin, two big folks   might not stand out as much as one...

 The third  driver   of the 4 wagons    pointed  across the river  and  down stream,..You folks do that, CAptain?

 the   outline of Mok was  still lit from some  smoldering fires..one shoudl think  the fires they caused  would have been put out, by now.

 Aye  we  did... but thsoe  fires that burn there now?  are not ours...perhaps, the people  are taking over the city, and the Merchant Lords  are no more.

 He Gives  another sharp whistle  and   says to the Caravan folk,..from this time, until we  reach    Tracehome.... you treat us   as hired   blades.. I do not  want Carn to have  any advanced  knowledge of our coming...Let us be on the move!

Mikio raises his hand to Kree to show he heard and understands.  He doesn't make a move from his spot until the caravan is formed and starts to move out, then he strolls into place next to Orlin.


"If you've a pipe, I've got some o' the tobacco weed." he offers by way of introduction.  "It's a nice day for a pipe and a stroll in the countryside."