The journey to Ravenmoor was unpleasant to say the least. Sure the maps indicated swamps and marshlands but usually that was a bit of an exaggeration as roads were built through the dryer portions but this...this was a swamp. Bugs filled the air and the mosquitos seemed to spring up like hydras. Each one swatted seemed to spawn two more to bother you.  The worst thing by far, above and beyond the bugs and the muddy roads, was the smell. Sulfur and rot filled the air and it was hard to stay cheery during the travels. People huddled together in caravans as communal protection from the nastier critters in the swamp but people didn't say much, mostly afraid that opening their mouths would lets all sorts of gnats and flies in.

All the bugs attracted huge swarms of ravens and as they drew closer to their journey it was not a question in anyone's mind why the town was called Ravenmoor. Hugh flocks of ravens cawed overhead but they were a thankful blessing as while the ravens were out, the bugs stayed away. At night though they would return with a vengeance.

Finally the group reaches the edges of the village. It is a poor, ramshackle looking place and a river separates the village proper (and the carnival grounds) from the trail. An old patched together ferry sits on the shore ready to transport everyone across into town. The ferryman is a thin, crooked-back man with greasy black hair and a look on his face like he hates strangers.

"Ferry costs a silver. Each."

To punctuate his point he spits out a giant gob of black saliva and residue from the plant leaf he was chewing on.

"You lot here to see the carnival? Eh...don't got causing any trouble in town. And don't go wandering off. Lotta critters in the swamp would eat fer lunch and ain't nobody gonna know 'bout it."

He gestures to his right where a large misshappen skull is nailed to the wall of his tiny shack nearby.

"Got ourselves a wolf in the water. Eats children's guts. You can try to cross the river by yerself but don't say I didn't warn you none."

The river looks slow and muddy and it is dark so difficult to tell how deep it is. The group ended up making it to Ravenmoor just after morning so it is around 9am giving the group several hours before the carnival opens up at noon.

Across the river the group can see a half-orc in colorful clothing standing around apparently waiting for something and past that a dozens of villagers are moving about their day.




OOC: Feel free to make introductions or comment about how you guys ended up informally part of the same caravan. You are the only members of that group. Garlad is not going to be part of this adventure due to IRL stuff but may join up later.

Torgan perked up as the new pack of guests arrived.  They looked like some pretty rough customers.  A lot of spears and armor on display.  Not that that was particularly surprising.  Anyone coming all the way out to this damp hell for a carnival would have to be either tough, crazy, or bored out of their mind.  Or looking to make money of the trip somehow.

Acting casual, the half-orc carefully watched the travelers talk with the ferryman.  Would anyone try to argue over the toll?  Was anyone stubborn enough to cross by themselves?

And, more importantly, who would be easiest to talk out of their money?
This message was last edited by the player at 01:32, Mon 02 July 2018.

Verna had been only been on the road for a week before stumbling upon the caravan. They seemed to need some assistance so she offered to join their caravan, even though it would take her way longer to get anywhere. But since she wasn't headed to a specific place, only to specific people then that didn't matter as much. Time was a factor to her in her quest.

People that had ask her where she was going, had only gotten the answer. "Find my parents" then she wouldn't say any more.

She had been riding her wolf on the besides the caravan for days now. Sometimes scouting ahead to find good camping ground or to hunt or fish to supplement her rations and the caravans stores. Riding full speed ahead would also keep Garrick, her wolf in better shape.

When they were at the ferrymans boat. She opted to be last in line to go onboard.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:28, Fri 27 July 2018.

Rynwyrd was excited about the carnival and traveling once more....for a while anyway. The journey was not as much fun as he remembered traveling to be previously. But despite the swampy marshland...and the smell, oh gods the smell, and the mosquitos, biting little bastards!....it felt GOOD to be traveling and out of the hive of scum and villainy!

So many ravens! He stared about them and absently slapped at a mosquito. He'd never seen so many before outside of a battlefield...which started to make him feel a little nervous, but he shook it off. He came up short when they came to the river and the somewhat terse and greedy ferryman gave them his price.

The elf frowned back at the man, eyes narrowed for a moment. He then made a big show of searching himself, as if he didn't have a lot of money and had to scrape together this HUGE amount. He grumbled the entire time, half-heartedly asking if 5 coppers would do, or maybe 8, he thought he could find 8 coppers, that sort of thing. But finally he pulled a silver out, wiped something off of it and handed it over. "Fine! Here."

He nodded and waved a hand, "Yes, yes, the carnival, of course." He muttered mostly under his breath, "The only other reason to come here that I can see thus far is to study the eating habits of ravens." He stopped suddenly and turned back to the man. "What's that? A wolf...in the water? How fascinating! A natural creature, some abomination, perhaps an experiment gone awry?" But then he saw the skull, narrowed eyes examined it a moment, even glancing back at the halfling rider's wolf mount a moment, before letting out a disappointed sigh and turning away. "oh."

He turned to look at the others in the group that he had ended up with. They had all been the last ones to arrive (or for some reason the last ones to join a group) and so got lumped together for the trip here. He had said his name was Rynwyrd - pronounced like 'rin-weird'. If asked about why he was traveling - "Why, to see the carnival, of course!" as if that were obvious.

Six days. Each day Karella road with the caravan was blissful. It was better than traveling alone, and safer too. Anticipation built as the caravan made its way to Ravenmoor. Karella hoped that the carnival was worthy of the stories.

Karella covered her nose. It was useless. The foul odor and the mosquitoes. She didn't know which was worse. She wrapped her head with a scarf, it was the best that she could do to cope but it didn't really help.

She handed the silver piece for the ferry. "Where is the inn?" She inquired of the ferryman.

The ferryman hawked up another gob of spittle that squired out right next to Karella's foot.

"Inn? Inn? What kind'a town you think this is. Think we got Inns...heh. Nobody comes round these parts, ain't no inn. If you make nice mayor's got the biggest house in town. Otherwise I understand the carnival's putting up some kind of tent-thing for outsiders to stay overnight at."

He turns back to accept silvers from the others.

"Inn...asking where the inn's at...heh that's rich..."

For the beginning of the journey, Talla had spent most of the time by herself, hood covering her head. She was quiet, eyeing those around her. When asked where she was going, she simply said, "Anywhere but where I've been."

As the journey continues, she seems to relax a bit more. She doesn't open up about herself, but is willing to talk to those around her.

When approaching the ferryman, she stands in line, not pushing forward or hanging back. She is ready to get this over with and get to where she is going. She doesn't argue the toll, and willingly pays it.

Amara joined up with the caravan for the simplicity of traveling as she wasn't one to own a horse, taking a seat as 'look out' as they traveled. She showed a fair bit of intelligence when the mosquito's came out, despite the heat she wore full body clothing including gloves as well as her cloak, wrapping the long fabric around her face like a nomad in the desert. With only her eyes bare, despite the heat she enjoyed the ride more then most. It was only when the Raven's had begun to clear the air that she breathed a sigh of relief and removed the facial mask, only to take in the swamp with a disgusted look. Maybe she should recover her nose.

She wasn't quite sure she bought the swamp wolf, but honestly a silver was worth it not to have to trudge through the swamp. She took out her silver and paid the man after a moments consideration as she took in the swamp. She wasn't cheerful, but she had often participated in nightly chats about nothing it seemed. Her companions knew no more then her name, her race and that she wandered.

"Yea, The carnival seems like a good time and a way to leave the past behind. Hopefully its not as dangerous as the swamp though. That said, I'm not very keen on this lack of an inn. Tsk, Had hoped to sleep in a bed."

Idly, Amara seemed to fit in well with the swamp, what with her dark green clothes and dark brown leather. She definitely looked like she could fade into the background if needed.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:56, Mon 02 July 2018.