Aelina had seen such bags as Ayrron had built the night before and smiled as the kender fiddled with some other contraction. She took her place in the marching order to follow him to make sure he would not crash into a tree or fall into a hole. The last night had showed how woefully unprepared she was to take to the woods, used to hop from inns to inns, with a barn once in a while, mostly payed for by a song and tale. But there was a mystery to be solved here and her curiosity was tickled, she could certainly endure some days of rough living until she could get better woodland equipment.

As the kender was working on his gizmos, she also thought about her craft and its inherent magic, getting inspiration to compose a song that would help with her rest and that of her companions. She knew from her training that certain rhythms helped with that and she felt she was near that discovery.

Valik felt some home as he saw everyone rising and preparing for the day's journey. The night had held the potential, however small, for fighting and death. With the sunshine proving their safety, it was time to get a move on. With the boats taken care of, reality of the journey settled in in earnest.

For two years he had travelled, by land and by sea, in search of the proof of gods and healing, finding nothing. He returned home, discouraged and in want of rest, only to find it had become hostile and unwelcoming. Now, the group was on the move again, and yet...he had a feeling of being at home. Home with the group. Home on the road. Home in having no home.

As they got started, Valik taking the lead himself, he came to realize that those feelings of having no home were rooted not in the loss of Solace, but in his flight from Tarn. Even Solace had been temporary, no matter how desperately he had hoped to turn it into a home. Perhaps with time, people like him would be able to find acceptance in places outside of the homes of their kin, but that was a future he could not see himself living long enough to realize. Humans, elves, and dwarves all kept mostly to themselves. This little band of oddities was closest he suspected to ever find of any real exception to that.

As Arryon began to speak of his new...object, Valik replied, "To help us, or to hinder our enemies?" The kinder's answer of "Yeah, sure." was irritating, but that was kender for you. Valik was unsure whether or not he could trust the things that Arryon did with his...efforts. They did not seem evil, at least not in the same ways as the ogre and troll leaders of his homeland. But still, he understood none of it, and that lack of understanding could just as easily mean that he had not yet figured out the evil as it could that the evil did not exist in the first place. Either way, it represented power, and where there was power, there was potential for abuse.

Aelina, at least, seemed to find no threat in Arryon's work. It helped to reassure Valik somewhat, but not enough for him to dismiss the thoughts entirely. Though...her reaction to it, and seeing Arryon moving so many objects in and out of it beyond it's apparent capacity, Valik did start to wonder at just how many bolts he could fit within such a thing. Making bolts was a good activity for passing the time, but carrying them could be awkward in large quantities. That thought lead him to thinking about Gale, the rather large and sometimes unwieldy crossbow that he had carried since the days when...since days he would rather not think about.

With a slight shake of his head, Valik refocused himself on the task at hand, remaining vigilant against signs of danger, and seeking the best paths for them to follow.

Valik glanced behind him, toward Vailin and Goldmoon, "The road is just ahead."

Ayrron seemed to only half listen to what was said, but when questioned about his invention, he did look up and smile....eventually. "Oh, he will do both - just wait"

Then he returned to his work

Vailin knew that Valik would take point, both as protection and scout so the young warrior assigned himself the rear guard, watching for pursuit and ensuring none of the team fell behind.  He watched Ayrron's activities with suspicion but said nothing.  Despite seeming evidence to the contrary, he felt the kender was honstly trying to help, in his own way.

About half an hour after the sun rose fully, Valik spotted a covered wagon heading towards them on the road, heading south.  It was pulled by a single horse, and four robes figures walked alongside it, two on either side.  Tree growth was thick in this part of the wood.

Valik raised a hand to call everyone to a halt. He kept his voice low as he shared with the others, "A small group of monks, it seems. We should stay out of sight for now, let them pass, and then be on our way. We don't need anyone informing the Seekers where we are or where we've been."

Stealth 12
This message was last edited by the player at 05:16, Wed 24 May 2023.

OOC: If you're going to hide in the forest, give me a stealth roll.  If you are proficient in Nature, you can make the roll with advantage.

Ayrron almost ran into Valik as he stopped and put up his hand. "Whoa...warn a guy. I almost put my nose in your...." He cut off as he spoke, and looked around him, and shrugged.

"......mnaybe a good idea." he whispered and scurried into the brush, placing his metal item in his bag. As he went, he smiled, and with a 'oohh', scooped up some small rocks as he went.

---

<OOC: Ayrron rolled 14 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 12.  stealth check.>
This message was last edited by the player at 05:04, Wed 24 May 2023.

Vailin was not particularly skilled in remaining unseen.  In his metallic armour he was even less so.  At the back of the party he might not be noticed but he made no attempt to conceal himself.


Stealth (Disadvantage): 5, 4

The bard started to go off the road when she saw that Vailin just stuck in the middle of the road, and she hissed at him "Vailin, go the side of the road, crouch and mostly don't move!", as she prepared to cast an illusion around him. She hid as well as she could, but concern for her friend made her negligent of her own positioning.

If Vailin does as told, cast minor illusion to create a bush around him

Today: Secret Roll: Aelina rolled 8 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 5.  stealth My own stealth is terrible though...too bad jack of all trade does not count as being proficient in nature :P
This message was last edited by the player at 21:11, Thu 25 May 2023.

Vailin moved to follow Aelina's instruction as best he could while hampered by his armour.  While he remained still, remaining quiet was more challenging.

The wagon and its somber guard approached at a steady pace.  While Valik and Ayrron tried to disappear into the woods, Vailin held his position until Aelina offered magical assistance.  Dutifully, the mail-clad warrior crouched at the edge of the road, and watched as Aelina rubbed a bit of fleece between her fingers, made an arcane gesture in the air with her hand, and the image of a large bush sprang up around him.  The warrior crouched down, hoping the sound of creaking leather, of buckles and rings of mail would not give him away.

The wagon drew closer, then stopped.  Two of the robed figures continued forward a two steps, then stopped as well.  "Peace, travelers," the closest of the figures said.  "We mean no harm.  Only seek news of road ahead.  Have traveled far.  Is safe?"

Closer up, the robed figures were rather rotund, stood slightly stooped over, and walked with an odd gait, as if plagued by a long-term injury or birth defect.

Ayrron heard the voices, and had a look of relief as he came out, holding a few stones in his hand. "Phew....thats good. Because i'd hate for anything bad to happen so far..." He narrowed his eyes, but then smiled again, his hoopak in hand. ".....wherever we are. The road is wet and muddy, so you'll get a bit muddy friends."

He frowned at them as he held his hoopak. "You ok....you look injured or something?"

If the robed figure was surprised by the appearance of the kender from the trees, it did not show in his demeanour or bearing.  The hood turned slightly to face Ayrron.  "It iss nothing," he said.  "A cursse of my birth.  Our brother however, is quite ssick.  We had heard rumourss of great healing being performed down ssouth, so we decided to take the journey in the hopess that he might be cured."

In the trees next to Valik, Goldmoon stirred, but paused, looking to the big warrior for guidance.

Valik looked at Goldmoon as he considered. Word of her healing would not have spread that far overnight. Far enough for these men to not only have heard, but also made the journey this far. Could it?

He didn't like it. But...what if he was wrong.

08:35, Today: Valik rolled 14 using 1d20.  Insight.

The risk did not seem worth it, to him. They could just as easily be just another group sent out in search of the staff. Valik shook his head to dissuade her.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:41, Sat 27 May 2023.

Goldmoon subsided back into the trees, a pained expression on her face.  But she held her peace.

The robed figure paused for a moment.  "Have you heard anything from down ssouth?" he asked.  "If I may confesss, I have my resservationss.  We have traveled a geat deal on a hope and a dream.  If you have heard anything, it may help convincse my brotherss that thiss trip iss not a wasste of time."

Ayrron came closer, slowly and smiled, leaning against his hoopak. "Your after healers, then your several hundred years too late....all the clerics are gone." He frowned and scratched his ear. "....though i did hear rumours of the seekers were looking for something - a staff or something. Dunno how a piece of wood could help."

He sighed as he looked at them "A bunch of them rode out south going towards gateway - almost ran me over a few days go without a 'scuse me."

---

<OOC: Ayrron rolled 9 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 8.  deception check.>
This message was last edited by the player at 11:13, Sun 28 May 2023.

The combination of the robed figure's words and Arryon's story began to make Valik feel uneasy. The figures made him nervous, and Arryon's story was weak - even for the kender. He hoped the figures would take it as the kender making himself seem more important than he was, and move on. But, if they were after the staff, then things might soon escalate. Valik tried to breathe easy, going through the same exercises he used to use when preparing to silence a guard before a raid. Thoughts of that made him feel even more uneasy, but at least his breathing calmed and evened out as he waited to see how they would react.

"Pleasse," the robed figure said.  "Our need iss dire.  If you have heard of anything….  If coin is an isssue, we could pay.  We do not have much, but we have ssome ssaved up."

Valik looked at Goldmoon again, for signs of her intent, "It is not my place to tell you 'no', if you wish to help them. I don't trust them, but I will protect you if they are false." He would not stop her if she went to them, but he would show these men no mercy if they sought to harm her.

Ayrron smiled and shook his head. "Coin is something i have enough of, my friends and even if i knew anything, i would tell you freely - tell te truth, i'm pretty awful at keeping secrets. Never could ever since my sister ran away to the circus....my mother questioned me and i folded quicker than a terrified goblin"

He chuckled and shook his head. "My parents tanned her hide, and she made my life hell for a while, but in the end it worked out for the best. She would never have met her husband had she gone."

He seemed deep in thought, then snapped out of it. "What was i talking about - oh yes, the supposed healers and the seekers. Like i said, went south in a real hurry. I dunno if that what they went for, but they've been asking all about solace about magic, a staff and such." He shrugged. "Not my expertise - i'm a craftman and deal in metal" He reached into a pouch and pulled out the metal contraption. "Been working on this toy for my niece, bless her heart. Her thirteenth year, next winter."

He replaced it back in the pouch. "...but i digress. If you want healing, go to solace - the alchemist has some salves that may help, and you need the magical sort, ask the seekers."

The robed figure gave a nod.  "Very well," he said, turning back toward the wagon, and the other robed figures.  "Have a care on your journey, travelerss.  The road iss growss more dangerouss day by day."

Within moments, the wagn was rumbling its way south down the road, the four figures keeping pace alongside.

Goldmoon stepped out from behind her tree, and looked after them down the road.  "I feel bad," she said.  "Do you think the staff could have helped them?  It cured that man back at the Inn...?"

Ayrron smiled and waved as they went on their way and when out of sight, he dropped his and and smile. He watched as the others came over and shook his head. "No....as sweet as their words were, they were hiding something."

He looked at Goldmoon. "They were not being entirely honest with us, and with the seekers after the staff, as well as goblins i think we need some caution."

He looked at the other three with a serious look. "We need to be careful."

....strange words from a kender

"But..." Goldmoon looked pensive.  "If this truly is a gift from the old, true gods.  Are we right in saying who should receive its blessings?  Who are we to say what the gods want?  Maybe it should be given to all who ask?"