Guelph nods and follows the elf away from the dock.

Mina looks toward Desra expectantly as she half-steps in pursuit of the wilder members of the group. "It'd be best if we didn't lose them, I would think."

And so the group heads off towards the Sly Wink.

Using the map supplied by the dockworker, you easily navigate towards the Sly Wink.  It's not a very long walk, and when you arrive the sign is hard to miss - a sign with one eye open and one closed.  As you are approaching down the street, you can hear gregarious voices coming from within...the ale must be good!

You enter the inn and tavern and take a seat at a table close to the door.  After a moment, a busty barmaid with an unfortunate gap in her teeth approaches.  "Kin I offer you somethin' to eat or drink?" she says with an smile.

"I've been looking forward to a good meal for the conclusion of a long trip." Mina takes in the scene, curious as to the sights. A part of her worried that the location would be risqué, based on the name, but she was encouraged by the lack of lechery in the sailor's recommendation.

As they move through the bar, Guelph tries to keep close to his group, obviously uncomfortable in these surroundings. "Mm, food for all," he grunts in agreement with Mina as his sense take in the smell of stale ale.

   You place your order with the barmaid, and soon a small feast is laid out in front of you.  Bread, stew and some sort of very tasty fowl is brought to the table.  The highlight of the meal however, is the ale.  When the Sly Wink advertised "the best ale in the land," they sure meant it.  The taste delights the sense and you're sure that even the most discerning dwarf would appreciate the flavor.

As you begin to wrap up your meal, you notice a female halfling step in and look warily around the room.  She is dressed in a fine blouse and pants, which appear tailored to her size and of high quality.  Her gaze shifts across the entire floor of the Sly Wink, and when her eyes come to rest on your table, they light up.  She approaches your table and when she gets closer you notice a Chicane Guild emblem pinned to her blouse, highlighted by a large glittering ruby in the center.  She steps up and asks, "Are you the ones who served aboard the barge which arrived few hours ago?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:13, Sat 03 Aug 2013.

"We are," Guelph says, lifting his head momentarily  from the sumptuous stew to reply and give the Halfling the once over. He then grasps his tankard of ale and raises it slightly to her before taking a gulp to confirm the greeting as a welcome one.

Mina gave the halfling a polite smile, pausing in her consumption as the stranger approached to converse. She was affiliated with a guild, so it was unlikely her connection to the barge would be a bad thing, but study of magic had taught her prudence. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh good!" the woman says, "My name is Vintra Marktunsel, and I'm the Guildmaster of the Chicane Guild.  Henley, the captain of the barge you came in on, referred you to me.  I'd afraid I'm in an awful plight.  Two days ago, goblin and hobgoblin bandits raided a Chicane Guild caravan carrying fruit and spices to Sumberton.  The spices in particular are key to use meeting a quota set by our business partners in the southern cities.  We need them back.  My guild is willing to pay you 200 gold apiece for this recovery operation.

Guelph takes a while to consider the proposal, then turns to Mina and Haajrayn. "I have no work since leaving the river. I will do this, if you will," he offers to his friends in his dry voice.

"Well that is well paid work. So what is dangerous about it. And where did the caravan get attacked?" Haaj says, from the corner, still partially hidden under his cloak's hood.

He picks another piece of fowl breast meat, picks small pieces and continues eating.
He sounds like he's liking the fowl and bread, all though the river trip let you believe he really disliked anything about greater settlements.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 20:20, Sun 04 Aug 2013.

Mina glances toward the halfling expectantly at Haajrayn's question. While the danger seemed obvious in that the goblins and hobgoblins that stole the supplies would likely defend their plunder violently, she was curious as to where they'd need to go. She had hoped to familiarize herself with the town before heading anywhere, but research didn't fund itself.

A tight smile comes across Vintra's face as the party seems agreeable to the mission.  "One of the teamsters was captured by the goblins, and nearly lost his life escaping.  Fortunately though, he was able to spot their warren.  We sent him downriver yesterday, but if you have a map I can mark the spot for you."

Seeing that you actually don't have a map of the outlying country, Vintra pulls a neatly folded one from her knapsack, handing it to Haajrayn.  "I've marked it on the map here, just south of the City."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:00, Tue 06 Aug 2013.

 Desra takes the map and thus starts assuming a position as cartographer of the group. Despite her young age, the priestess has had an extensive training in various fields, and reading a map is one of them.

  "That is rather not far," she asserts.
  "Could we meet the survivors of the attack ? That is.... assuming there were survivors ; it would help in preparing ourselves for this. And, if I may ask, why did you send the miraculous escaper downriver ?"

 Her voice is soft, but she speaks rather bluntly. If it wasn't for her seasoned set of armour bearing the thunder of Heironeus, the young cleric would actually pass for a naive page.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:33, Tue 06 Aug 2013.

Haaaj looks at the map as Desra takes the map and stars asking her questions.
He then looks up at Vintra and asks:
"I guess the warren is in hill terrain, but is it lightly forested or completely bare?"

"The area there is called Kurkle Ridge.  The hills themselves are full of winding draws and mostly scrubby vegetation.  Unfortunately, that makes it a fairly common hideout for bandits that prey on road traffic, including my shipments, between here, Tulvercross, Krokarr, and Sharn.  River pirates, too, sometimes hide along Kurkle Ridge where they can waylay riverboats heading south from Sumberton.  It's can be tough going, which is why we have hires such as you for protection.  You never know what you can run into outside of city gates."

Guelph looks around and nods at the general consensus that the team will accept the mission. "I am ready to leave. I have finished my morning meal," he says.

"The spells I prepared for the day should be suitable to the task. I'm in." Mina then began eating with haste, so that she could have her food finished before departing. She would have preferred to prepare more cantrips of her favored school, but one couldn't plan for everything.

"Oh, one more thing," Vintra says as the group prepares to depart, "The spices are in crates marked with the Sumberton sigil, which is a crescent moon and sheaf of wheat.  Those crates are bulky, so you'll probably need some sort of pack animal to bring them back for me."

 It wasn't clear whether Desra's question had been avoided or missed, but either way she was not too fond of it. She was used to it though, Heiroenus priests have a tendency to look down on young apprentices, girls especially...
 As if nothing had happened, she just added :
  "I take it no survivor made it back to Sumberton ?"

 When the halfling pointed out the necessity for means of transportation, the priestess leaned forward and simply asked :
  "Would you provide a carriage and horses then ? Or rather a few mules, since the warren is difficult to reach. I am sure you have the logistic means to be able to spare a few animals..."
  diplomacy 10

  "Other than that, I am ready to leave as well. It would have been nice to enjoy the commodities of Sumberton for a moment, but we should deal with this matter in urgency."

Vintra slowly shakes her head, addressing Desra, "Sorry dear....only the one survivor.  We sent him away at his own request.  He said something about needing some time off.

Thinking on Desra's request, she replies, "I could offer up a couple mules and a cart, but I'd have to deduct it from your pay."  Shrugging slightly she says, "Sorry, but business is business."

 Desra nods but seems to pout a bit.
  "Well..." she sighs. "Fair enough, I guess. We'll take a lease then."

Vintra nods.  "I'll have someone get them ready.  They'll be waiting for you outside of the Chicane Guild."

"Which ever is the easiest. The faster we get going the better a chance we have of getting the caravans goods undamaged. Goblins are fast, so we better get going."

Haaj eats the rest of his stew. Then puts the remaining of his bread and fowl, in the mouth while putting on his pack and gets ready to leave.
Food in his hand again he says: "Shall we go and put down some Goblins?"

"Yes. I can kill goblins," Guelph says with a grunt before collecting his things. He waits for his friends to be ready then heads off to the Chicane Guild to get their cart.