Sitting nearby and oiling a longsword sat a large, muscular dragonborn. A vibrant red, he worked methodically on the blade before carefully placing it back in its scabbard. His chain mail was well-worn, and his scaly hide was covered in scars.

His blade stowed, he turned his green, reptilian eyes to a leather-bound tome which he began to leaf through, muttering to himself and hissing discontentedly, a curved talon on his finger tracing the writing and shapes as he studied them.

He seemed not to notice the traveler asking questions, but his shield arm was free as he held the book, and while comfortable, his feet seemed to be planted firmly under him.

Lucien is determinedly working on making ready to set sail when the traveler asks his question. When Lathan and Rissa respond, he takes a moment to compose himself and then looks up wearing a wide smile. "Seliar Silversong at your service stranger." He gives a little bow.

"I am Three Elks of the Wandering Moon tribe, far to the north.  I journey seeking glory, knowledge, and songs to take back to my people."

The thin raft he built himself glides to a gentle stop as it hits the shallows.  He lifts a heavy looking backpack sporting the weapons of a warrior and steps from the lashed poles to the shore.  He stares curiously at each person gathered and grins.  This village has so many people of different kinds of skins, it must be a place of many tales.

"It certainly seems to have a propensity for attracting many interesting people. None of us are locals I'm afraid." Behind his smile, the elf is sizing up Three Elks and weighing the benefits of adding another competent fighter against the risk of someone with unknown origins and motivations. His last journey into the Thornwood had not gone smoothly and Kuiper would not be along for the journey this time around.

"So it looks as if you all intend to leave upon the river.  If you have all gathered together and are not locals... He paused as if to trying to figure out the situation.  What circumstances would drive such an eclectic group to take to the river?  He had heard from further upstream that taking the river was usually safe, until it reaches an exceptionally large forest or a bog depending one which fork is taken.  With the raft they had purchased they were not equipped to tackle going against the current.  "Is there trouble in this town that I should be aware of?" he asked not certain if they were fleeing from, or journeying towards, something.

Lathan continues to prepare to leave on the raft, eyeing the stranger cautiously as he works.

"We're just some mercs passing through this nothing of a town in the hopes that somebody's past or present misfortune will result in a payday that's worth the risk. Might make for a good story if it doesn't kill us all, but probably not much of a reward to spread around. Ale money, not 'new boat not made of rotten firewood' money is about all we expect out of this place." the dragonborn says as he picks up his belongings.

Perhaps misreading Three Elk's confusion as hesitation despite his intimidating appearance, Lucien decides the best approach is a gentle warning. "That's it in a nut shell. All the danger is down river, not back in town. It would be plenty safe if you wanted to stay there."

"Glory and riches, just as delicious as mead and wenches," he said with a chuckle as he replied to the Dragonborn.  He pulled out a small leather pouch and tipped the contents in the palm of his hand.  Ten gold coins exactly. He tucked the coins and pouch back under the boar hide.  There must have been some sort of pocket hidden beneath.  "Not sure how much of the later I can get," he laughed.  "I may be following shortly behind.." he said with a grin.  He stepped up and attempted to lay a friendly clap on Lucien's upper arm.  "Well then...may the river be kind and your fortunes fair.  Oh...and...don't steal my raft."  He turned back to his raft to claim a lantern dangling from a bent sapling sticking up at the front.  Gathering up all his belonging he turned and started striding towards town.

"You're not likely to find much of the former in that direction."

Rissa said, nodding in the direction of the town.

"And without it, you'll be unlikely to find much of the later either.  We seem to have a nose for danger, and are gathering ourselves to venture forth to face a new challenge.  You seem rather well equipped..."

She gestured to the vast assortment of weapons he bore.

"... feel like finding some trouble?"

Three Elks stopped in his tracks.  He looked to the group, then the town, then back to the group.  "Well...trouble often leads to glory.  Glory gives birth to stories.  And a good story can earn me coin or the attention of the ladies, so..."

He turned back around and strolled back towards Rissa, "Tell me of this adventure that draws you to the river, a river that leads to a forest that no man is supposed to enter."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:22, Mon 25 Feb 2019.

"We are investigating rumors of a place known as Spire Keep, a former castle of the Parlfrays that has been lost to time within the forest."

Rissa answered.

"We have reason to believe something nefarious may be going on there, and given the amount of trouble we've encountered thus far in our searches, we'd prefer to be well armed.  It's been a profitable venture so far, if you're keen to put those blades to use for an honorable cause."

Since he largely agrees with Rissa's sentiments that another blade won't go amiss in the Thornwood, Lucien smiles broadly and beckons the newcomer to join them. Internally, he frets about the prospect of another stranger joining them, but decides the risk is not all that great to have two new members over one. There's no reason to arouse suspicion by being unfriendly. "Yes, join us and tell me what tales you've already heard of me. Surely a collector of tales has heard the legend of the card shark Seliar Silversong."

Three Elks address Lucien first. "Uh...sure, I'll tell tales of your glory.  Though they may not be exactly how you or anyone else remembers them," he said with a wink.

"I have hunted the white mammoth, traded blows with a giant, and shattered the axe of Gargoth, an Orc chieftain.  Certainly, I can handle whatever the dark woods throw at us. I will join your quest if you will have me," he said, possibly boasting.

"First we must do something about your raft." He looked at it shaking his head.  He set his gear down and went to take a closer look.  "If we lash mine to yours with two gnome-length planks it will act to hold it firm in the river's current, to keep it from spinning."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:25, Wed 27 Feb 2019.

"Well, I don't know if you're bragging or not... but the thing about the raft seems like a good idea, so welcome aboard. You can help me figure out a name for us... and maybe with a super secret project that none of them is allowed to know about." the dragonborn says flatly, not whispering, but clearly not a master of deception.

Lucien feigns dissapointment at Three Elk's response but makes way for him to climb onto the raft. He holds out rope for the newcomer to use to lash the rafts together. "I'm afraid I've no talent for knots." That is a lie.

Three Elks, didn't balk at fixing up the raft to better handle the rigors of river travel. He lashed his raft to theirs' to form a stabilizing pontoon.  He stepped back to admire his work and then turned to the others, "Ready when you are."

"Let's get moving then."

The party travels southwest down the Woldcote River on their raft for about three hours. Having determined that they are about halfway into the Thornwood, they disembark. The forest is dense and dark and the party gets the sense that danger lurks nearby, though they do not see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

Lucien's jovial attitude slowly dwindles to his usual stoic silence as the raft travels down the river. The careless persona of Seliar is replaced by the ever vigilant Lucien who, despite still not feeling completely at home in these wooded environs, wis naturally perceptive enough that he could hope to spot danger before it found the group. As they disembark, he speaks in a low voice to the others. "Let's make sure the raft is secure up on the riverbank. No need to have it rain and get the thing washed away."

He also takes a moment to send his owl up over the canopy of trees to survey the spot from the air so that he could attempt to recognize it upon their return. "From this point I think we head more or less west and see what we can find. The familiars can survey things from the air periodically for anything of interest."

The wiry half-elf entertained the party with some didgeridoo as they moved down the river.  As they drew deeper into the woods, the mood became rather ominous as the canopy closed out the rays of the sun.  He eventually put away his instrument; but still quietly hummed ancient songs to himself.

Upon disembarking, Three Elks helped pull the raft high out of the water.  He then covered bare skin with the clay-like mud from the banks of the river as protection from insects and to help him blend in. He then too a few minutes to check on his weapons and musical instruments to make sure he lost nothing and that everything was still in fine condition.  He reminded himself that he would need to oil the blades to keep the humidity from rusting them.  He made sure the maul was bound well to his backpack, electing to use the hide shield and single-belled axe to push and clear foliage from his path.  He had to rely heavily on the others, as he knew not where they intended to go.  Instead, keeping his eyes peeled for danger and tracks.

Rissa had spent the journey in quiet contemplation, listening to Three Elks and staring intently at the orb that typically rested on a chain about her neck.  She attempted to assist with pulling the raft up, but it was quickly clear that her small frame did not possess the muscle mass needed to be of much use in that regard.

"A useful trick, that."

She said in reply to Lucien, scanning the forest line with a concerned look on her face.

Lathan spends a few moments getting himself oriented once they are on land again. Then he draws a sword and prepares to lead the party deeper into the forest in hopes of finding the lost Spire Keep.

"Everyone ready?"

The corners of Lucien's mouth twitched ever so slightly at Rissa's words. "One can never have too much information and familiars are quite good at gathering it. People tend not to notice animals as easily."

He nodded to Lathan. "Why don't you take the lead and I will stay to the flank as usual." That said he moved off a little distance to be on the edge of the group.

Terminax was silent for most of the trip, but upon landing he too pulled out a tiny, black bat, and with a "Follow the bird and keep each other safe." the diminutive creature flew after it silently.

Then, checking his shield, Terminax rolls his head, eliciting popping noises as he flexes his muscles, and says, "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's get paid."