Cyrus heard the new voice and Valoria's introduction. He stood at the presence of a new woman, showing her the courtesy she was due. He'd overheard her speaking to one of the new "recruits" as though she were her servant and wondered at the arrangement she'd reached. He'd also noted the swords and axes she'd carried on the road and the absence of the swords now. He'd taken his own armor and shield off but hadn't left his sword behind. He couldn't remember the last time he had done so.

"Welcome indeed. Please sit down. I agree with Valoria, the stew is quite tasty, not like those little apples at the inn. You can call me Cyrus. My house means very little out here."

As he waited to see if the new woman would join them, he considered David's response. If the man hadn't touched a forge in 20 years and hadn't been a bandit, there were very few other ways the old man could have survived by traveling from town to town. Not providing an explanation implied that it was a means David did not wish to share, at least not in the present company. Rather than push him away, Cyrus thought he would try and draw him in, especially after his mention of a loan and the way he responded to Valoria's revelation that she was not going to be a source of said funds. "Let's survey the area after we finish the catapult. I think we'll be in need of a makeshift forge at the least and no one would expect you to pay for that yourself."

In reply to Valoria der lin Lebeda (msg # 24):

"Well met Valoria, Sir Cyrus and goodman David. And Muninn, well met."

Vik sat at the table, at an available spot, not standing on the principle of her house's rank. Cyrus was correct, out her it meant less than the arms at your belt.

"I will join you, thank you."

Taking a bowl of stew, Vik ate thoughtfully and considered for a moment.

"It does seem to be a great number of nobles are out here though, if I might speculate. A rash of second sons and bastards perhaps? Cadet houses with secured lineages?"

"I would be glad to have a look around with you m'lord."  David answered as Vik approached the table.  "When the meal and conversation is done, of course."  David went back to his stew so as not to intrude upon the conversation any further.

Cyrus was a bit shocked by the way Viktoria spoke of the nobles and their potential motivations for being on this quest. He paused a moment, but only a brief one as he did not want to force Valoria to tell her story in such a large group.

"Oh I am the firstborn, and was the heir to the Ondari estate, or whatever is left of it when my father dies. Ah yes, you were not with us on the road when I told my tale of the GREAT House of Ondari and my departure from it." He scowled as he said "Great" but only for a moment. "Dimitri Ondari, my father, and his father before him have squandered our coffers and made deals that betrayed the honor of the Ondari name. When I learned of his dealings, I took my inheritance," he says patting the blade on his side, "and left. I'd met Henry at court and when I heard of his charter, I asked if I might come and earn my way to a true holding."


"Clearly you weren't the second son, so what brought you here to this wilderness?"

In reply to Cyrus Ondari (msg # 29):

"Ah, but I am the third son, in so far as I am not in line for my house's seat. It is the heir's job to protect the lineage, the secondborn to marry well, so what is mine and my sister's lots? We go forth and do something with our lives. Or marry, and increase my family's alliances more over."

Viktoria spooned another mouthful of stew and then continued

"I was in between work on ships. Sometimes crew must be replaced, or let go, and a nobleman's daughter is not cheap, even on the seas. So I sought work to fill my purse, and the opportunity to strike out into fertile ground in the wilds. Money independent of my house will be money I can use to build a life once I am merely the spinster aunt of my house. Money to invest, gain power."

"What was your duty onboard your ships? You carry axes and blades, so I assume you aren't swabbing the decks?" Cyrus knows little about life aboard a vessel and hopes he used that phrase correctly...

Bai made her way back to the outpost and after a short detour at the tower to drop off some of her belongs, she followed the scent of food to the fire. She stops at the pot that David is tending to, she fishes a few copper out of her purse, "How much for a bowl?"

Andalon had stored his pack in the appropriate tower and spent a bit of time exploring the trading post and immediate surroundings on his own. Somehow he found himself to be alone everywhere he went and able to take his time to investigate anything that seemed interesting. Of course that changed when he finally reached the fire. The delicious aroma of cooked food always attracted a crowd. He followed Bai's lead and asked for a bowl of the stew David has prepared as well. Then he spotted his cousin Valoria and took his meal over to join her.

"There you are Andalon! We wondered where you went off to. Viktoria was just asking about the large numbers of nobility on this venture. Why did you take up the mantle of Adabar and then join us here?"

"Hello, Cyrus. I hate to bore Valoria with my poor tale again but, since you asked, I will." He grins at Valoria before continuing. "We are one of the lesser branches of the Lebeda family and my father Davide de Lebeda is a merchant in New Stetven, north of here. I am the fourth son in our family and was tutored to follow my father's trade, of course. However my tutor was a young Abadaran cleric and we shared a far greater love for his tales of the Balanced Scales of Katapesh than for lessons of the mercantile trade. Have you heard of the Balanced Scales? They are a clerical order of the church of Abadar tasked with searching out lost, hidden, misplaced or ill-gotten wealth from all sorts of wild, dangerous and exotic places all over the world. I have to admit I dreamed many times of one day joining their noble mission. Anyway, that introduction led me to join the church of Abadar. He was always our family's most revered deity, so my mother was delighted when I found my vocation and she persuaded my father to give his blessing as well.

"Henry's mission came as an absolute godsend soon after I had completed my clerical training. I was able to persuade the Banker, as our bishop in New Stetven is called, that Henry's mission to explore and civilise a part of the Stolen Lands is perfectly in alignment with our church's objectives, so I am here with the church's blessings as well. I don't know what the future will bring but it certainly seems there could be great potential to achieve great things in the name of Abadar in these lands."

"So it would seem we all see the opportunity before us is great. Your cousin Valoria has ambitious plans for our defense and David here can get a small forge in place, does anyone else have ideas of how to improve the current landscape?"

"Certainly a life full of achievement. How much profit have you managed to generate thus far? Any obvious roads to development? In future obviously."

"From what I heard of the previous battle here it sounds like fire is the greatest threat during a bandit attack. Can we add some more water storage in strategic locations to use for fire fighting? Water barrels and buckets would be the obvious choice but we can probably use alternatives if necessary. Abadar will allow me to fill them with water if we can find suitable containers," Andalon suggested in response to Cyrus.

He grinned self-consciously at Vik's question.

"I only completed my clerical training a few days before hearing of Henry's mission and most of my efforts after that were to gain permission to join him. My profits thus far are not worth mentioning. My only specific goal at present would be recovery of whatever ill-gotten gains this Stag Lord has accumulated. Beyond that I could not even start to guess at. Explore the wilderness, secure these lands for civilised settlement, open safe trade routes to and through these lands and perhaps I might end up establishing an Abadaran community and temple as part of the main trade centre that is established in these lands. Or perhaps we will find some other long lost hoard of treasure hidden somewhere in these lands that will launch me on the path of the Balanced Scales instead? I do not know what Abadar's plans for me are yet but I have sworn to serve any way that he requires."

A small grimace crossed Valoria's face when Viktoria spoke of second sons and bastards. “I am...was the first born and was heir to my father's mantle. I have only one, younger sibling, Zauria. She is also a wizard...Evoker....She is heir now.”

Valoria then smiled when she saw Andalon. She listened as everyone talked about the past and their dreams. “Cyrus, if you seek to build a stronghold, I would like to help you in what way I can. I would also like to help you too cousin, in your quest to build a temple...Perhaps both goals could be one and the same, with enough land and help, it would be possible to build a stronghold and a temple.....” She then looked over to the rest of the group. “The more the merrier. Is that not so my dear Cyrus and kind Andalon?”
This message was last edited by the player at 07:02, Mon 06 June 2016.

Bai found a seat and a bowl and ate in silence, watching and listening to the rest of the group. It seemed that for the most part everyone here had big aims save for the few she'd talked to that didn't. She hadn't had more than a word or two with most of those here but they seemed well into their conversation, and if she hadn't missed her mark at least two of them were related.

Cyrus hadn't expected the conversation to turn to a future stronghold of his making as they had a significant amount of work ahead of themselves to get the current holdings in place, but he would not deny that he wanted to build a place of his own.

"Bright Valoria, your help would be most welcome, as would a temple for Abadar. Any stronghold I would build, would be one open to those who seek to better themselves and this land. David, we could build you a proper forge. Valoria, a library and eventually a university if you so desired. Viktoria, you could help us with a port or navy yard or whatever you'd like for that matter. It will take time and much effort, as will the work before us here with Henry, but I believe it is possible to make a place to call home and to make it better every day."

David's eyes lit up at the suggestion that he was serving the food.  He jumped at the opportunity and played it off as though he had served others already.  "One copper would be perfect my dear lords and ladies."  He proceeded to spoon out helpings for newcomers.

Turning to Cyrus between spoons, "A proper forge would be a great help, but I will make due with the equipment we have until such an opportunity presents itself."

Zorah approaches the tables, covered in fresh dirt and a few new bruises.  She smiles at David and passes him a copper as she grabs a bowl.  "A productive evening of horse training."  She interrupts the conversation with an answer to a question that wasn't asked.  Sitting down Zorah tastes the stew and motions for the young bandit who followed her over to sit as well.

Lex is confused by the copper Zorah handed to David. The past few nights, the stew or whatever Svetlana had cooked was given to them for no cost, he'd assumed it was their payment for work done. He guessed David must be up to something, but Lex wasn't sure what to do. On the one hand, these people had plenty of coin to spare and would likely be earning more than he or David ever dreamed of in the coming weeks and months. On the other, Zorah had just spent the past few hours teaching him how to train horses, a skill that promised to be one that could sustain his livelihood for years to come, especially if he was able to combine it with making and repairing saddles. He could outfit a group like this and turn his efforts into significant profits.

Not knowing what to do, he turned to the one person he trusted and whispered in her ear...

Zorah scrunched up her nose at the older ex-bandit, but said nothing.  She finishes swallowing her mouthful of stew before she whispers back to Lex.

Lex is still a bit out of sorts and excuses himself saying something about looking after the leathers.

Continuing to eat, Bai pulled out a journal and began jotting down some notes, pausing only to take a spoonful of the soup every now and then. She'd learned a decent amount these last few days and had no intention to let any of that be lost, so into her notes it all needed to go.

" Bai, is it?" he says to the newcomer with the book, "Do you have any ideas about camp improvement or future plans?" 

Seeing Zorah and the youngest of the reformed join the table and then Lex departing, he also addresses her saying "Zorah, how did Puck do? We were just discussing improvements to this camp, as well as future hopes. Do you have any thoughts on either?"

Andalon smiled too when he realised how David had seized the opportunity that had arisen. He touched his golden key holy symbol to his lips then held it above David's head and made an unlocking motion with the key.

"I don't know which gods you usually pray to, David," he said as he handed David a copper coin too and took a bowl of stew, "but you are welcome to join me in a prayer to Abadar anytime you wish. We won't all be paying by the bowl for every meal at this stage of our mission but I certainly respect that sort of business initiative!"

"This I can do, with the right materials. We'll need resources, and unless we plan to clear the entire region of trees, we will need roads, workers, villages, wells. I'll work for that as well as the ships, if you and your partners work for it too."